FDA modifies extra-label drug use of cephalosporins.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

On Jan. 6, 2012, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine issued an order that will modify extra-label drug use of cephalosporin antibiotics in cattle. Following a 60-day comment period, the order will mean:

Effective April 5, 2012, veterinarians can continue to prescribe extra-label use of any cephalosporin as long as it is the same dosage, used through the same route of administration and in the same species as its FDA approved label. 

The official FDA statement can be found here.

The proposed order does not affect FDA’s approved indications for ceftiofur. You can continue with confidence to prescribe ceftiofur products for FDA-approved uses in cattle. When used according to approved label indications, ceftiofur products are safe and effective in treating diseases while protecting the food supply.

This ruling affects the following Pfizer Animal Health products:

• EXCEDE^® (ceftiofur crystalline free acid) Sterile Suspension
• EXCENEL^® RTU (ceftiofur hydrochloride) Sterile Suspension
• NAXCEL^® (ceftiofur sodium) Sterile Powder
• SPECTRAMAST^® LC (ceftiofur hydrochloride) Sterile Suspension
• SPECTRAMAST^® DC (ceftiofur hydrochloride) Sterile Suspension

As you review the new ruling and consider how it impacts your clients, know we are here to help. Your Pfizer Animal Health representative can answer any questions that you or your producer clients may have.

If you have additional questions about this ruling, please contact your Pfizer Animal Health representative or VMIPS (Veterinary Medical Information and Product Support) at (855) 4AH-PFIZER (855-424-7349).

Pfizer Animal Health firmly believes the interests of animal health and human health are best served when veterinarians have the flexibility and discretion to select the appropriate medication to effectively treat diagnosed illnesses in animals.

Pfizer Animal Health is committed to ensuring a safe, sustainable food supply from healthy beef and dairy cattle, swine and poultry.

Veterinarian allowed to testify in law suit between dairy farmers and power plant | ksl.com

Veterinarian allowed to testify in law suit between dairy farmers and power plant | ksl.com

Ruling Is Major Victory for Utah Dairies in Lawsuit against Power Plant | Dairy Today

Ruling Is Major Victory for Utah Dairies in Lawsuit against Power Plant | Dairy Today

I think Wright-Hennepin Electric Utility should be very nervous with their upcoming lawsuit.

Milk Quality Focus

Milk Quality Focus

Pfizer is reporting 89% cure rate with 5 day treatment of Spectramast LC!  Watch vid!

Work continues on ventilation in calf barns - Farm and Ranch Guide: Dairy News

I have had several clients modify there calf barns to increase airflow at low rates.  This has been beneficial for some of the older style barns in need of modification.  It is a low cost upgrade and benefits calf health.

On a visit to a farm recently, a client showed me his tube updates.  I thought the tube placement was a little high  without measuring but after thinking about it they were probably about 12 feet from the ground which is what some experts recommend.

Below is a nice article from the Farm and Ranch Guide.  Dr. Nordlund is referenced in this article.

Work continues on ventilation in calf barns - Farm and Ranch Guide: Dairy News: ST. CLOUD, Minn. - There is no silver bullet when it comes to
dairy calf

Mobile posting now granted!

Cephalosporin Ban

I am starting to get a few questions regarding the announcement by the FDA that there will be restrictions placed on the use of cephalosporins in livestock.  I am anticipating that the restrictions will be on feed grade antibiotics and not on products with ceftifur and cepharin in them.  I will have to confirm my suspicions though.

FDA to Restrict Livestock Use of Antibiotic -- The Des Moines Register

Source: The Des Moines Register (4 Jan 2012)

Author: Philip Brasher

"The Food and Drug Administration is banning farms from giving some antibiotics to livestock for disease prevention and certain other uses. The agency says the ban is needed to ensure that the drugs will continue to work when their given to humans. The FDA proposed a similar ban in 2008 but reversed the decision under pressure from livestock veterinarians. The FDA ban, which will take effect April 5, affects the class of drugs known as cephalosporins, which are used to treat pneumonia, skin infections and other illnesses in human medicine. The agency’s concern is that overuse of antibiotics in hogs and other food animals is contributing to the problem of drugs becoming less effective in human medicine because of increased antibiotic resistance among dangerous bacteria. “We believe this is an imperative step in preserving the effectiveness of this class of important antimicrobials that takes into account the need to protect the health of both humans and animals,” said Michael Taylor, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for foods. But the ban will contain some exceptions that the 2008 proposal did not. For example, farms would still be allowed to use an older cephalosporin called cephapirin that is not believed to contribute to antimicrobial resistance in bacteria. Cephalosporins account for a very small portion of total farm use of antibiotics. About 29 million pounds of antibiotics were sold for use in food-producing animals in 2010. Only about 54,000 pounds of those drugs were cephalosporins...FDA’s action doesn’t address the larger issue of using antibiotics in low levels to reduce the amount of feed needed to fatten hogs and other livestock. The agency has been trying to get pharmaceutical manufacturers to end that use of the drugs voluntarily."

Pneumonia in January!

January is not a typical month that we see pneumonia in cattle.  Temperatures stabilize and are more consistent.  Consistently cold!  Spring and fall seasons bring the broad temperature fluctuations that stress cattle.  So these 50 degree temps we have seen the last few days are more fall and spring like than what is normally experienced in January.

Was at a feedlot operation yesterday pregchecking heifers to see if they were going to the feedlot or to the stocker pool and the producer mentioned some cow deaths.  He had purchased cull cows 10 days prior and was going to fatten them up.  One had died over night and the other had died an hour prior to my arrival.

The first animal I necropsied it was apparent without opening up the animal that if died of pneumonia.  It had diffuse subcutaneous emphysema and large amount of bloody discharge coming from it's nose.  It had died in this curtained barn that was curtained and densely populated with colored cattle with winter coats.

The second animal on visual exam looked normal.  As I opened the chest cavity, large amounts of fluid exited between the ribs.   The lungs were hyperemic (severe redness) and the ventral lobes were covered in greenish fibrinous material.  The lungs had not adhered to the ribs and I estimated the pneumonia to be about 5 days old.

These animals probably died because of a perfect storm of warm weather conditions, overstocking, poor housing, and travelling from one location to another within the last 10 days.  In hindsight, these animals may have benefited from metaphylactic treatment with an injectable antibiotic with a short slaughter withhold or a feed grade antibiotic such as CTC.

Welcome to "Right On The Marker!"

Welcome to my blog!  I will post articles and comments here frequently that I feel will benefit my clientele and colleagues.  I will try to cover a wide range of topics, not just veterinary medicine, but also topics that cover agriculture and the economy.  I hope you will enjoy my posts and I appreciate your interest.