U.S. FDA prohibits cephalosporins in animals

[hillsdown]

How does this effect you !
BTW these drugs are used mostly in medicated feed (are often added to animal feed or injected into fertilized eggs in order to prevent disease and encourage growth in livestock. )

U.S. FDA prohibits cephalosporins in animals

Jan 4, 2012 5:53 PM - 0 comments
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Washington | Reuters
Livestock

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U.S. health regulators on Wednesday banned a class of antibiotics for use in animals to prevent the rise of drug-resistant bacteria that also infect humans.

The Food and Drug Administration issued an order to prohibit cephalosporin, a popular class of antibiotics, for use in cattle, swine, chickens and turkeys from April 5, with some exceptions.

Health officials argue that the widespread use of the drug by livestock farmers could lead to resistance when the drug is used to treat people.

Bacteria learn to outsmart antibiotics when repeatedly exposed to the medicines. Humans then pick up drug-resistant bacteria when they eat or handle contaminated meat.

Cephalosporins are commonly used to treat people with pneumonia and skin and soft tissue infections, the FDA said.

"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.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/05/healt ... stock.html

http://www.webwire.com/ViewPressRel.asp?aId=151166

 

[Anonymous]

Good. Overuse of antibiotics in humans gets alot of press. But use in animals that we eat gets nothing.
The adage you are what you eat comes to mind

 

[regolith]

Is that the antibiotic DCT is based on? I'm thinking cepravin, cepha-safe

Ok, I answered my own question, I keep the cardboard boxes they come in for making notes on and cepravin contains cephalosporin.
Dang, that was my key hope for tackling this year's mastitis problem... and there's no doubt if the US bans it it'll be banned here too.

 

[regolith]

Dry cow therapy has been prescription only following a vet consult since about 2001 in this country. I usually do about 10 - 15% of the herd, essentially cows that have had a case of mastitis during lactation are virtually gauranteed to get it at dry-off if DCT is not used. Been told by vets I don't use enough of the drug, I don't usually have a problem with SCC or mastitis in the herd so have never seen a reason to do the whole herd like some farmers do. This year, yes, have a problem, will be taking samples to the vets on Monday for culturing to identify pathogens.
The possibility of not being able to use the most effective DCT product available would scare me.

 

[hillsdown]

Rego , it sounds like they really are targeting medicated feed ,which is extremely overused in some industries. Vets can still prescribe lable usage of drugs like excede etc for use, as long as it is not abused and withdrawls are followed. From what I am hearing it means that slaughter animals will have zero tollerance allowed in drug residue at slaughter . ??

Would like some feeder input from beef ,pork and poultry from someone on here in those areas please that know more .

 

[KatherineWales]

Antibiotic resistance in humans is an increasing issue. The Food and Drug Administration is trying to tackle this problem by limiting the use of a few antibiotics in agricultural applications. Animal antibiotic use partially banned by FDA. Though it will only be imposed partially, but still this may affect the livestock industry.

 

[TexasBred]

Dry cow therapy has been prescription only following a vet consult since about 2001 in this country. I usually do about 10 - 15% of the herd, essentially cows that have had a case of mastitis during lactation are virtually gauranteed to get it at dry-off if DCT is not used. Been told by vets I don't use enough of the drug, I don't usually have a problem with SCC or mastitis in the herd so have never seen a reason to do the whole herd like some farmers do. This year, yes, have a problem, will be taking samples to the vets on Monday for culturing to identify pathogens.
The possibility of not being able to use the most effective DCT product available would scare me.

Dry treat everything. Stay ahead of the potential problem.

 

[JSCATTLE]

How much of the antibiotic is actually in the meat when it is harvested ? It's probably like the hormones given to steers . There is more hormone in broccoli .

 

[larryshoat]

I was not aware of a feed grade product using cephalosporin.

Larry

 

[fargus]

We don't use that class of drugs in our hog barn. Medication in the feed and water is in the tetracycline or penicillin classes. Most of the injectibles are the same. I don't much care for this approach to combatting resistance in human medicine, but it doesn't affect our operation in any appreciable way. (I guess it wouldn't anyways, as we are in Canada, but you get the drift.)

 

[vclavin]

It won't affect us either. We use yeast in the feed , and only use antibiotics when absolutely necessary... I dont'even give it for calf scours unless I know for sure the scours are not caused by too much milk or feed (we start creep as soon as they can nibble) or from vaccine.
Valerie