Before shipping dairy cows, double check drug withdrawal times
Published: December 21, 2007
Source : The Prairie Star
Some cows do not breed back; others get too old to be productive, while others have health problems such as lameness or mastitis.
Often, in the case of a health problem, the cow may be given a medication before the decision to ship her is made.
In every case, it is important to ensure that the cow is free of all drug residues before she is shipped.
“Once the decision is made to treat a cow, then we follow the label. If she doesn't respond, the veterinarian better be involved,” said Ron Eustice, executive director of the Minnesota Beef Council.
Eustice says that the incidence of violative residues in market cow beef is generally small, but recently there's been a slight increase in the Upper Midwest.
“We're not talking about a huge number, but maybe 20-30 violations in a calendar year,” Eustice said. “Eighty five percent of those violations have been in dairy cows.”
Testing for food borne pathogens and antibiotic residues has become more rigorous and sophisticated. USDA is responsible for monitoring residues in meat while the Food and Drug Admini-stration enforces corrective measures.
When a violative residue is found, the beef is condemned and can't be used for human consumption, resulting in losses for both the processor and the producer. If a producer becomes a repeat residue violator, some severe consequences can occur.
In August, an Iowa dairyman was charged with illegal drug residue violations in nine cull dairy cows sold between 1992 and 2006. The residues included drugs such as tetracycline, sulfadimethoxine, flunixin, oxytetracycline and penicillin.
In November, a cattle dealer from the Dakotas was fined $2,500, placed on a one-year probation, and ordered to perform 96 hours of community service on charges of selling four cattle from 2002 to 2004 with drug levels exceeding FDA tolerance limits.
The dealer was told that records of drugs administered by previous owners must be obtained and provided to buyers. The drug violations included sulfas and tilmicosin, said Eustice.
Producers are not intentionally marketing cattle that have drug residues, but sometimes mistakes are made because documentation has not been kept, said Eustice. With all the work there is to do, it's easy to forget to write down when a treatment is given. That lack of documentation can lead to real problems.
There can also be misunderstandings about withdrawal times.
In many cases, the drug withdrawal time is much different for meat vs. milk. It can take much longer for the drug to leave the meat.
“They may say withdrawal time is three days for milk, but it may be 28 days or more for meat,” said Eustice. “It varies by the product. You have to read the label, and there can be no variation from the label, unless there is a valid client veterinary relationship established.”
Even a simple detour from the labeled instructions can dramatically change the withdrawal time. For instance, giving the anti-inflammatory drug flunixin in the muscle rather than using the labeled intravenous route can draw out the meat withdrawal time to more than a month.
Now, several organizations are getting involved in an educational campaign to stop drug residue violations.
The Minnesota Extension Beef Team has formed the Dairy Beef Residue Avoidance Team to find producer friendly educational strategies to reduce the risk of antibiotics in food.
The team includes members of University of Minnesota, North Dakota State University, the University of Nebraska, the Minnesota Beef Council, the Wisconsin Beef Council, the American Association of Bovine Practitioners, National Cattlemen's Beef Association and USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
The team hopes to present educational and training programs at events this winter. Their presentation can vary from a 15-minute overview to a two-hour Beef Quality Assurance certification program.
“Beef Quality Assurance is about implementing production practices that can be implemented today and improve the quality of every ounce of beef that's going to be produced,” said Eustice.
He said that almost 50 percent of the beef supply in Minnesota comes from dairy cows. Dairy cows are a major source of ground beef and processed meat, but also provide medium priced steaks and roasts.
“Every producer who sends a cow to slaughter should ask themselves a simple question, ‘Would I serve the beef from that animal on my family's dinner table?' If the answer is no, then it's time to stop the truck,” he said.
Dairy producers know that healthy animals are the foundation of safe food. Disease prevention to keep cows well is the key to their success.
When a dairy cow has an infection, dairy producers are asked to use lab tests to guide the use of antibiotics. Treatment dose and route of administration, length of treatment, and withdrawal times are important.
The responsible use of antibiotics includes:
- Developing written treatment protocols with the veterinarian.
- Treating the fewest number of animals possible.
- Withholding treated animals or animal products for the recommended length of time.
- Using a test for meat or milk drug residues if needed.
- Understanding extra-label drug use.
“The bottom line is we want our food supply to be safe,” said Eustice. “There is no room for compromise here. If we don't produce a wholesome, safe food supply, we will lose consumer confidence.”
For more information or to schedule an educational seminar with the Dairy Beef Residue Avoidance Team, please contact Ron Eustice at the Minnesota Beef Council.
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