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The
identification of treated cattle is a must if a residue
problem is to be avoided. Extra care will be taken to
ensure treated cattle are properly identified.
Implementation of a separate tag system for each hospital
animal will meet this requirement. If cattle are identified
by lot or pen number, one suggestion is to make, with a
permanent marker, another identification number on the tag
so it is easy to read. It is becoming an industry standard
to tag all treated cattle separately and is a vital part of
any Beef Safety and Quality Assurance Program.
It is
equally important to have these tag numbers referenced to a
specific lot and/or pen, along with the date of treatment.
See the example
BQA/CMP Form 530 (Treatment Record for
Individual Cattle). This provides a traceback
if the treated calf is lost or jumps pens and will provide a
means for feedlot or facility personnel to assure those
animals have meet proper withdrawal times when a lot or pen
is shipped.
Producers treating calves that are nursing the cow with
antibiotics do not necessarily need to identify individual
treated calves in the SD BQA/CMP Program. However, written
records of treatment need to be kept. When giving
antibiotic treatment to a number of nursing calves, the
withdrawal period would apply to the whole group of nursing
calves. Calves should not be sold prior to the withdrawal
time, and the treatment history of the group should be
forwarded to the buyer.
Extra
attention must be paid to chronics, realizers, or other
high-risk cattle. These are the animals that for one reason
or another must be marketed early. Those classified as high
risk pose greater potential of being marketed before drugs
or medications have cleared. Due to this risk, closer
monitoring and additional testing of these cattle is
necessary.
Several test kits are available for on farm detection of
residual antibiotics in animals prior to slaughter. Consult
your veterinarian or extension educator for availability of
these tests.
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