Antibiotic Resistance

Strategic Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance Should Focus on Food Safety, NPPC Says

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 13:47:36 GMT

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) says it’s time for the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) program to promote the progress that has been made in the pork industry from veterinary and producer interventions that have reduced the incidents of antimicrobial resistance.

The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) recently submitted comments on the proposed 2026-2030 Strategic Plan for the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System .

NARMS, a collaborative partnership with state and local public health departments, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and USDA, tracks antimicrobial susceptibility among foodborne enteric bacteria from humans, retail meats and food animals.

“The long-standing objectives of NARMS are appropriate and supportable and recommended the program return to its original scope and remain focused on foodborne antimicrobial resistance,” NPPC said in Capital Update.

NARMS objectives include:

Monitoring trends in antimicrobial resistance among enteric bacteria from humans, retail meats, and food animals at the time of slaughter.
Disseminating timely information on antimicrobial resistance in pathogenic and commensal microorganisms to stakeholders in the U.S. and abroad to promote interventions that reduce resistance among foodborne bacteria.
Conducting research to better understand the emergence, persistence, and spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Providing timely antimicrobial resistance data for outbreak investigations.
Providing data that help FDA in making decisions related to the approval of safe and effective antimicrobial drugs for animals.

“NPPC strongly supports antimicrobial stewardship and the production of safe, wholesome protein for consumers,” NPPC points out.

Under the previous strategic plan, NARMS sought to expand its One Health approach that recognizes that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and the shared environment.

NPPC notes that this approach had the program taking a haphazard approach to collecting and testing disparate samples under various pilot projects, diluting its focus on food safety.

Instead of this approach, NPPC said it encourages the NARMS program to return to its original scope of focusing on food safety.

Your next read: It’s Time For Transparency and Scientific Integrity in the Dietary Guidelines, Marshall Says

5 Reasons Consumer Distrust In Our Food Supply Is Rising

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 14:13:15 GMT

Bread, check. Blueberries, check. As I wheel my grocery cart alongside the deli case, I’m taken aback at what I see. Rather, it is what I don’t see that has me wondering, “What in the world?” This section of my favorite grocery store is now almost completely empty, except for a couple of ham loaves and a renegade block of cheese.

In a slightly distraught tone I ask the worker behind the counter, “What’s going on?” He hesitates for a moment, then replies, “The store is in the process of changing suppliers for our deli products. We should have more of a selection next week.” Then it dawns on me: my favorite brand of deli meat and cheese, Boar’s Head, has officially been blacklisted by my go-to grocery store.

I should not have been surprised. Boar’s Head began its fall from public grace on July 26, 2024, when the company issued a recall for more than 207,528 lb. of product due to potential listeria contamination. The CDC linked the contamination to 61 illnesses and, tragically, 10 deaths. It was the worst listeria outbreak in the U.S. in over a decade.

The outbreak was ultimately traced to a production line at the company’s Jarratt, Va., plant. According to USDA inspection reports, which USA Today had to obtain through a Freedom of Information Act request, 69 reports of non-compliance were recorded at the Jarratt plant between 2023 and 2024. What was in those reports was unsettling. Documentation of insects live and dead, black and green mold, mildew, dripping and standing water, as well as other unsanitary conditions within the plant in the weeks leading up to the July recall. In a move that was too little too late, Boar’s Head announced on Sept. 13, 2024 that the Jarratt plant would be closed permanently.

In 1906, Upton Sinclair published his famous novel “The Jungle,” which exposed the horrific conditions in the meatpacking industry at the time. The writer’s work proved to be an instant bestseller to the masses. The irony is that nearly 120 years later, one might find it hard to discern whether they’re reading a current USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) report or a chapter straight out of “The Jungle.”

Just One Of Many
The Boar’s Head case was only one the high profile food recalls last year. Remember the E. coli contaminated onions on McDonald’s quarter pounders? Then, Costco issued a massive recall on their Kirkland Signature brand of organic eggs because of a threat of Salmonella. And to cap off the year with the scariest illness yet, on Dec. 18, 2024, the CDC confirmed a patient in Louisiana had been hospitalized with the nation’s first severe case of avian influenza A (H5N1) virus, aka the “bird flu.”

If it seems that the number of food recalls are coming at us at a more fast and furious pace than ever, then your gut instinct is spot on. The Food and Drug Administration, which reports food and cosmetics together, says 1,908 such products were recalled in the fiscal year that ended in September. That’s the highest number since 2019. Such a constant barrage of warnings is having a serious affect on consumers’ overall psyche — and not in a positive way. According to a September 2024 Gallup report, only 57% of Americans say they have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of confidence in the government to keep food safe. This number is a 27 point decrease since 2019, and is a record low for the Gallup Consumption Habits Poll since its inception in 1999.

This explosion of 20th century foodborne illnesses has me asking the same question I asked the worker behind the deli counter: “What’s going on?”

5 Reasons To Be Skeptical
There are multiple reasons consumers have good reason to be less confident in the safety of their food.

First, there’s the government. Second, more and more of our food is imported, which makes it harder to inspect. Third, you have a growing quest for more natural food, which sometimes circumvents traditional inspection channels. Fourth, industry consolidation means only a handful of players control both the production and processing. That’s not inherently a bad thing, but if something goes wrong, it’s probably going to be big. Finally, we now have the ability, through more technology and data, to find, detect and isolate the specific source of contamination and document it.

Time For An Overhaul
Food safety policy and implementation at the government level is in need of a serious overhaul. There is a chance it could actually happen. In 2018, the previous Trump administration proposed consolidating federal food oversight into a single agency with USDA.

There are so many common sense things that a fully functioning food agency could do. For one, start with better and more noticeable country of origin labeling (COOL) on imported foods. It should be prominent, displaying the country’s flag as the primary indicator of origin. If nothing else, we’ll all get better at geography. Next, companies that embrace new technologies that prevent contamination should be rewarded with tax credits. We do it for electric cars. Why not for safer food?

Finally, the most important change needs to come in the form of accountability and transparency both from the food industry itself and the government that regulates it. That didn’t happen in the case of Boar’s Head, and 10 people lost their lives because of it. In the age of AI and social media, those FSIS plant inspection reports should be posted on platforms such as X and Facebook for the public to see in real time. Without such transparency, we’re no better off than we were back in 1906.

FDA Plans Five-Year Blueprint for Antimicrobial Stewardship

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 00:12:08 GMT

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., issued the following statement on efforts to advance antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings.

Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health challenge. Antimicrobial drugs have been widely used in human and veterinary medicine for more than 60 years. When used judiciously, antimicrobials can effectively fight bacterial infections. However, we know that overuse or misuse of these drugs promotes the development of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.

For all of these reasons, it’s critical that we implement good antimicrobial stewardship practices in human healthcare and veterinary settings. We must continue to take new steps to slow the development of resistance and extend the usefulness of these lifesaving drugs.

Combating antimicrobial resistance continues to be a top priority for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

To further these efforts, the FDA will soon implement a new, five-year blueprint for how the FDA plans to build on its current programs to advance antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings. We’ll expand on the FDA’s existing actions, and launch some new programs. Our aim is to reduce overuse of antimicrobial drugs and combat the rising threat of resistance.

As part of the FDA’s regulatory mission, our Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of animal drugs, including antimicrobials. CVM has already taken important steps to update the approved conditions of use for medically important antimicrobials (i.e., antimicrobials important for treating human disease) to support judicious use in food-producing animals. While important progress has been made, we know that additional work is needed to address the complex challenge of antimicrobial resistance.

At FDA, we believe that the concept of antimicrobial stewardship encompasses several important principles of judicious use. These are critical to slowing the rate at which bacteria develop resistance to antimicrobial drugs. In simple terms, we believe medically important antimicrobial drugs should only be used when necessary to treat, control or prevent disease. In addition, when such use is necessary, these antimicrobials should be used in an optimal manner. They should only be used under the oversight of a licensed veterinarian.

Among the steps that CVM has already taken, perhaps the most significant action was implementation of Guidance for Industry #213 . On Jan. 3, 2017, the FDA announced that it had completed implementation of GFI #213. This was the culmination of a process launched in 2013. The goal was to transition medically important antimicrobials that are used in the feed or drinking water of food-producing animals to veterinary oversight, and to eliminate the use of these products in animals for production purposes, such as for growth promotion.

Of the 292 new animal drug applications initially affected by GFI #213, 84 were completely withdrawn. Of the remaining 208 applications, 93 applications for oral dosage form products intended for use in water were converted from over-the-counter to prescription status; while another 115 applications for products intended for use in feed were converted from over-the-counter to veterinary feed directive status. Moreover, production indications (e.g., growth promotion) were withdrawn from all 31 applications that included such indications for use.

Last year, we also published a paper proposing the use of a biomass denominator to adjust annual data on the amount of antimicrobials sold or distributed for use in food-producing animals in the U.S. This adjusted estimate is intended to provide more insight into broad shifts in the amount of antimicrobials sold for use in food-producing animals and give the FDA a more nuanced view of why sales increase or decrease over time in a manner that is specific to U.S. animal production. The agency also recently launched the Resistome Tracker. This is an interactive research and data visualization tool for antibiotic resistance genes.

To build on the progress already made, we’re announcing that the FDA will shortly publish a blueprint on how we’ll press forward and implement additional steps to address antimicrobial resistance in veterinary settings. This blueprint will serve as the FDA’s new, five-year plan. We’ll include key goals, objectives and actions that CVM will focus on during fiscal years 2019 – 2023.

Our new activities will be aimed at addressing three key goals:

Aligning antimicrobial drug product use with the principles of antimicrobial stewardship; supporting efforts to foster better stewardship of antimicrobials in veterinary settings; and enhancing the monitoring of antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial drug use in animals.

The specific objectives and actions will be outlined in our forthcoming plan.

Some of the important issues to be addressed in this new plan include establishing appropriate durations of use of medically important antimicrobials, and bringing all dosage forms of medically important antimicrobials under veterinary oversight. We are also developing and advancing new strategies for promoting antimicrobial stewardship in companion animals.

We’ll advance these goals in new guidance that the FDA will develop with broad stakeholder input. And we’ll enhance transparency and keep the public apprised of progress being made.

For example, we’ll shortly publish a list of all medically important antimicrobials labeled for use in animals that lack a defined duration of use on their labels. We’ll keep this list updated as we work to implement a science-based approach for addressing this important issue.

We’re also advancing new strategies to improve the collection and sharing of data on antimicrobial drug use and resistance. To advance evidence-based practices, we need to make sure that the entire community has access to good information. And we need to develop a long-term strategy for implementing a practical, efficient antimicrobial use monitoring and reporting system for veterinary settings. Our plan will address new ways to advance these goals.

Many stakeholders helped make our previous efforts a success. These include the animal pharmaceutical and feed industry; veterinary organizations; animal producer organizations; consumer organizations; various local, state and federal agencies; legislators; and other key stakeholders.

I look forward to releasing this plan shortly, and continuing to work collaboratively to promote stewardship and preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobials for human and animal health.

New Institute Will Fight Antimicrobial Resistance

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 00:12:08 GMT

Three universities will partner to lead a new national institute on antimicrobial resistance.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln and its medical center, Iowa State University and the University of Iowa were selected to head up the new Institute for Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education. The institute will be jointly funded by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Iowa State at a combined $525,000 per year for three years ($1.575 million total).

Each year in the U.S., at least 2 million people are sickened from bacteria resistant to antibiotics, and 23,000 people die from those infections. Many more die from other conditions complicated by an antibiotic-resistant infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infections from drug-resistant “superbugs” result in an estimated $20 billion a year in direct health care costs and up to $35 billion in lost productivity from hospitalizations and sick days.

“Antimicrobials are critically important tools for maintaining human, animal and crop health,” said Mike Boehm, University of Nebraska vice president and Harlan Vice Chancellor for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

“This new institute will accelerate discoveries and engage producers in new and impactful ways that will enhance the stewardship and prolong the shelf life of these disease-prevention tools. The establishment of this institute is a big deal and we are excited about this next chapter of our partnership with our colleagues from Iowa, the industry and beyond,” Boehm said.

Antibiotics and Antimicrobial Resistance in Swine Production

Tue, 21 Nov 2023 20:27:16 GMT

The use of antibiotics in livestock production has reshaped the farm for well over a half-century. While antimicrobial drug use for food-producing animals is below previous highs, efforts to further reduce the need for antibiotics play a key role in fighting antimicrobial resistance. The swine industry is central in the conversation about antibiotics’ importance, impact and sustainability.

Reducing the need for antibiotic use in livestock production is a key focus for researchers and on farms that has significant implications for the wellbeing of animals and humans alike.

Antimicrobial drugs have been widely used for more than six decades to treat bacterial infections, with lifesaving results. But antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens the efficacy of these drugs. In humans and livestock, excessive antibiotic use has enabled bacteria and fungi to develop a resistance to the antimicrobial drugs designed to kill them.

“Livestock animals can directly contribute the antimicrobial resistant genes to other animals and also to humans,” says Dr. Yanhong Liu, associate professor of animal nutrition at the University of California, Davis. “That’s a public health issue.”

The mutual health interests of humans and livestock with respect to antibiotic use were established in Stuart Levy’s landmark 1976 study showing “the spread of antibiotic-resistant organisms from chicken to chicken and from chicken to man.” This study illustrated the link between antibiotics given to livestock and the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria to humans.

Preserving the Effectiveness of Antibiotics

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) publishes Antibiotic Resistance Threats reports. The 2019 issue reported that there were 2.8 million antimicrobial-resistant infections in the United States annually, resulting in the deaths of more than 35,000 people. That figure was up from an estimated 23,000 deaths in the 2013 report. The declining efficacy of antibiotics reflects both human and livestock use, and people and animals alike have a role in preserving drugs that can provide lifesaving interventions.

While the effort to reduce AMR is collective, the swine industry has potential to make a significant impact. According to the Food and Drug Administration, pigs account for about 40% of medically important antimicrobial drug use in food-producing animals in the United States.

“If we can reduce the need for antibiotic use in the swine industry, that is good not only for animals, but it has a huge benefit to humans and the public,” says Liu.

Focus Upstream, Not on the Drug Usage Itself

Dr. Heather Fowler, director of producer and public health at the National Pork Board, believes the target for reduction is in reducing the need for antibiotics.

“I think it’s one thing to say, ‘We need to decrease our use of antibiotics,’” she says. “But we need to focus on more than the outcome alone and look upstream. We need to think about how we reduce our need for antibiotics, and that will have that ultimate outcome of also decreasing our overall use.”

Stewardship, then, is utilizing all the tools available before there is a need for antibiotics.

Before Turning to Antibiotics

Biosecurity practices are designed to prevent the introduction and further spread of disease among the herd. They include practices such as setting up barriers to prevent infection transfer by removing potentially contaminated boots and clothing. The Danish-style bench or a simple piece of tape at the entry of the barn serve as a boundary, where boots remain on one side of the divide. Truck washes, boot washes and facility and equipment washes are important for sanitation. UV lights can be used to clean and disinfect products before humans enter.

“Producers recognize the need to do what’s right for people, pigs and planet,” Fowler says. “We are trying to use antibiotics appropriately to prevent resistance in our space but also recognizing resistance has no species barriers, so we’re really doing what’s right for everyone.”

Other preventive practices include vaccinations, ensuring access to clean water, reducing stress that makes pigs more vulnerable to sickness and breeding that takes into consideration production and health optimization. In the lab, researchers are working on ways to improve pigs’ gut health to boost their immune system. Each practice can reduce the need for antibiotics.

“Need drives use for antibiotics, so considering farm management practices to reduce need is key in reduction,” said Dr. Liu. “For example, improving hygiene and environmental conditions to prevent or reduce stress, improving feed quality and using vaccinations to eradicate specific diseases could all yield healthier herds. This will reduce our need for antibiotics, which reduces our impact on resistance.”

The Impact of the FDA’s 2017 Regulation

On January 1, 2017, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation took effect to stop the use of medically important antibiotics for growth promotion in food and animal production. This regulation transitioned access to feed and water-based medically important antimicrobial drugs from over-the-counter to requiring veterinarian prescription/oversight.

To adhere to the regulation, producers must work closely with veterinarians if an antibiotic is necessary to treat a disease, as well as keep records of any Veterinary Feed Directives (VFDs).

Since the regulation’s implementation, sales of medically important antibiotics approved for use in livestock have declined more than 38% from peak usage in 2015 to 2021. Total antibiotic sales decreased almost 29% in that period. But the increased need for antibiotics as a medical treatment since the change underscores the importance of preventive measures.

The Incentive for Farmers

Disease has a cost to producers, as it takes resources of time, labor and supplies to treat, and it slows overall production. Sick livestock often go off feed and subsequently miss benchmarks for average daily gains.

“Reducing antibiotic need by improving biosecurity and overall herd health is a win-win goal on the producers’ side,” said Dr. Liu. “First, reducing medical cost, second reducing the public concerns on the overuse of antibiotics in livestock. But the most important purpose for society is to reduce the development of antibiotic resistance.”

The Future of Antibiotic Use

To ensure antibiotics are a resource for humans and animals for generations to come, the two sectors must practice responsible antibiotic use. Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) One Health Approach, the two can collaborate for better solutions for animals and humans, with the aim of benefiting all species through best prevention practices and antibiotics use.

Why It Matters

Antibiotics are a tool in the toolkit that may be the best option to attack a pathogen. Responsible use of antibiotics is paramount to preserve the efficacy of the drugs for both human and livestock use.

In 1942, 33-year-old Anne Miller became the first American patient to be treated with penicillin. She had been deathly sick with streptococcal septicemia for weeks before receiving the drug that was previously unavailable to civilians. In less than a day, her temperature went from about 105 degrees to returning to normal. Modern use of antibiotics had arrived. Miller lived until 90 years of age, a testament to a life-saving drug. Her story stands as a reminder of the value of carefully managing antibiotic use so the drugs may continue to be effective for people and animals.

The CLEAR Center receives support from the Pork Checkoff, through the National Pork Board.

This article was originally published on the University of California, Davis CLEAR Center website.

USDA Awards $3.2 Million to Fund Antimicrobial Resistance Dashboards

Fri, 14 Jul 2023 12:16:24 GMT

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is awarding more than $3.2 million in cooperative agreement funding to create antimicrobial resistance dashboards. These public-private partnerships will improve access to information on antimicrobial resistance in domesticated animals, including livestock, poultry and companion animals.

The 12 awards will help advance scientific knowledge around antimicrobial resistance through partnerships with the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, Cornell University, Iowa State University, University of Florida, North Carolina State University, Texas Tech University, University of Illinois, University of Missouri and University of Washington.

“Antimicrobial resistance is a global health threat that makes antibiotics and other antimicrobials less effective. Addressing AMR is important to APHIS, along with the agricultural and public health sectors, because antimicrobials are some of our most critical tools for treating serious infections and saving the lives of people and animals. Taking a One Health approach to tackling complex human and animal health challenges such as this is imperative,” APHIS said in a release.

Data protection is also important to APHIS. Because of this, all antimicrobial resistance dashboards developed with this funding are required to include data protections similar to the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act. APHIS will then use the dashboards to monitor trends in antimicrobial resistance patterns, detect emerging resistance profiles, and better understand relationships between antimicrobial use, animal health management practices and antimicrobial resistance.

The projects will focus on:
• Developing antimicrobial resistance dashboards to securely track the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistant microbes in domesticated animals.
• Identifying and/or developing methods for protecting data confidentiality with these dashboards.
• Identifying data user needs and preferences for antimicrobial resistance dashboards.
• Exploring aspects of data management for antimicrobial resistance dashboards.

APHIS’ National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) collects and evaluates information voluntarily provided by U.S. farmers and ranchers to better understand antimicrobial use in the context of overall animal health. Partner labs in the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) will be on the lookout for antimicrobial resistance, supporting APHIS’ work to monitor for trends and identify new or emerging resistance profiles, assess the continued usefulness of antibiotics over time, and provide actionable guidance to veterinarians, producers and other stakeholders, APHIS said in the release.

Congress directed and provided funding to APHIS to carry out this project as part of USDA’s fiscal year 2021 and 2023 appropriations.

Preparing for Prescription-Only Antibiotics in Livestock Industry: Important Changes Ahead

Wed, 31 May 2023 18:24:03 GMT

While another month has come and gone for the 2023 production year, if you haven’t already heard, June will hold some significant changes for the livestock industry.

When it comes to livestock antibiotics, many products that have typically been used over-the-counter will now need a veterinary prescription.

“ Just as physicians have started to try and educate people to not utilize antibiotics in those cases, we’re really trying to have the same conversation with the livestock industry ,” says Mike Lormore, DVM, head of technical services over pork and cattle for Zoetis.

On June 11, the FDA’s Guidance for Industry (GFI) #263 will take effect, bringing 91 over-the-counter antimicrobial products under prescription oversight.

While the sales of antimicrobial injectables in 2021 declined by 11% from 2016 , Lormore says the FDA’s guidance is a result of a long conversation around improving the quality of and control systems around antimicrobial use in food production.

The guidance applies to all food animals , including cattle, hogs, ruminants (goats/sheep) and poultry. In addition, it also applies to animals not intended for food, such as horses, pet rabbits and backyard chickens.

“ W hile this change does not require the purchase of products from a veterinarian, going forward, producers will be legally required to obtain a prescription from a licensed veterinarian with whom the producer has a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship ,” says Becky Funk, DVM, and Jesse Fulton in a University of Nebraska-Lincoln article.

Specifically, the veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) is a mutual agreement between the animal owner and the veterinarian where the veterinarian has an understanding of the animals on an operation, the type of care they’re given on a regular basis, their purpose, and the risk factors associated with management of those animals, Lormore explains.

Preparing for OTC Antibiotics to Go Prescription-Only

If you do not have a relationship with a veterinarian, start visiting with a local practitioner so they can become familiar with you and your animals on your operation.

Additionally, Linda Tikofsky, DVM and senior associate director of dairy professional services at Boehringer Ingelheim says, “I think the number one thing to do is just take inventory of what you’re using and what you won’t be able to purchase after June 2023. Go through your drug cabinet, take note of what you’re using and how often you’re using it.”

This will help you prepare for conversations with the veterinarian, discussing standard operating procedures and routine drug orders.

A full list of products to soon require a prescription can be found here .

For more information regarding these changes:

Over-The-Counter Access to Antibiotics is Going Away

Over-the-Counter Antibiotics: What You Need to Know Before June 11

If You ‘Doctor’ Livestock, a New Rule will Determine How or If You can Buy Antibiotics

Beef Implant Changes

For beef producers using growth-promoting implants, additional changes will be taking place in June.

While implants are labeled for sex, age or stage of production, until recently, implant labels did not include directions for reimplantation within the production stage for which they are intended, Sandy Stuttgen, DVM, senior outreach specialist and Taylor County Extension agriculture educator with the University of Wisconsin Extension.

To bring clarity, the FDA has defined specific production stages, which will be used to determine if and when a growth-promoting implant can be administered.

Beef cattle will still be allowed to receive multiple implants across different stages of production, including each of the following phases defined by FDA GFI 191:
• Beef Calves:
1) Pre-ruminant or ruminant beef calves nursing their dams from birth until 2 months of age
2) Ruminating and nursing their dams from 2 months of age to weaning
• Growing beef steers or heifers on pasture (stocker, feeder or slaughter): weaned and maintained on pasture and receiving most of their diet from grazing
• Growing beef steers or heifers in a drylot: weaned and maintained in a dry lot and fed harvested forage (possibly with supplement)
• Growing beef steers or heifers fed in confinement for slaughter: weaned growing and finishing animals confined in group pens or grow yards and fed progressively high-energy diet ad libitum as their sole ration until slaughter

For more on beef implant changes: Beef Cattle Implant Changes: What You Need to Know

Overall, as a good practice in administering any vaccine or implant, Stuttgen encourages producers read the product label and lean on your veterinarian to determine how the products should be best used in the operation.

Over-the-Counter Antibiotics: What You Need to Know Before June 11

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 20:30:52 GMT

When kids are sick, parents want to do the best they can to help them feel better fast. It’s no different when animals are sick. Livestock producers want to do everything they can to help them feel better fast. It’s understandable why most people want to turn to antibiotics so quickly – it’s what they know to be an effective treatment for illness and disease.

But antibiotics aren’t effective on viruses, whether in kids or livestock.

“Just as physicians have started to try and educate people to not utilize antibiotics in those cases, we’re really trying to have the same conversation with the livestock industry,” says Mike Lormore, DVM, head of technical services over pork and cattle for Zoetis.

On June 11, FDA’s Guidance for Industry (GFI) #263 brings 91 over-the-counter (OTC) antimicrobial products from OTC to prescription oversight. This is part of a broader effort by FDA to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a serious threat to animal and public health. Using antimicrobials judiciously, in all settings, can help slow the rate at which AMR develops.

“It’s a confidence thing,” says Jim Lowe, DVM, director of the College of Veterinary Medicine I-Learning Center at the University of Illinois. “The regulators have said, ‘Listen, we want some more oversight here, so we have more confidence in the supply chain.’ My perception is we’re not changing what we’re doing. We’re just going to document and tell people what we’re doing better. It’s about transparency.”

FDA’s guidance is a result of a long conversation around improving the quality of and control systems around antimicrobial use in food production, Lormore explains. Making this transition will ensure the remaining 4% of medically important antimicrobials currently available OTC are used under a licensed veterinarian’s supervision.

Although this guidance doesn’t go into effect until June 11, now is the time for producers to begin preparing if they haven’t done so already.

Why VCPRs Matter

Now is an important time to seek out a veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR). The VCPR is a mutual agreement between the animal owner and the veterinarian where the veterinarian has an understanding of the animals on an operation, the type of care they’re given on a regular basis, their purpose, and the risk factors associated with management of those animals, Lormore explains.

“Pig farmers are working every day to protect the food supply and provide safe, nutritious food to customers. This protection includes having a VCPR to provide the most updated treatment and recommended technology to keep animals, and ultimately the public, healthy,” explains Heather Fowler, VMD, National Pork Board’s director of producer and public health.

She says a producer doesn’t need to know everything, but they should know to call their veterinarian when needed, not only to protect their herd, but to also reduce an economic strain or loss of production proactively.

“Our sense collectively is major producers in the U.S. pork industry have veterinarians on their staff, they have good relationships with all kinds of veterinarians, and this guidance is probably not going to impact them very much. It’s really directed towards very small operators, or backyard/hobby animal raisers that don’t have that same level of expertise,” Lormore says.

However, he notes there are some areas of the country that don’t have as many veterinarians in place. If that’s you, he recommends reaching out to state veterinary medical associations, state livestock producer organizations, friends or other colleagues to find out what veterinary resources they utilize.

Once a VCPR is in place, animal owners would simply contact the veterinarian to discuss the situation at hand and the veterinarian would then provide them a prescription if needed. Every state has a different set of pharmacy laws, so how those prescriptions will be filled will look different throughout the country, Lormore notes.

In general, Lowe doesn’t believe veterinarians are thrilled about the obligation to have to write more scripts and maintain more records. No one likes paperwork, Lowe points out.

“I think some producers have grumbled it’s just a way for the veterinarians to make more money, but I certainly don’t think veterinarians view it that way. We are all going to have to do more work, but how do we make it a positive? Let’s lower costs, create better production, get the right diagnosis, work a little harder and create value out of it. That’s our opportunity,” Lowe says.

Why is antibiotic stewardship so important?

Thanks to advances in hygiene, biosecurity and new technology, America’s pig farmers are making significant strides in protecting their herds from disease, Fowler says.

“This is done in part through relationships farmers maintain with their licensed herd veterinarians, who prescribe and oversee the use of antibiotics and other medications on farm,” she says. “Responsible antibiotic use means using only what’s necessary for pig health. This sensible approach means doing what’s best for animal wellbeing, food safety, and the environment.”

It’s no secret that healthy animals are more productive and more efficient. The goal is always to prevent disease, rather than wait for it to become clinical and have to treat it, Lormore says.

“That being said, the bugs are generally smarter than we are, and they can move faster than we can. So, sooner or later, you will see clinical disease in one shape or form,” he adds.

Lormore believes FDA’s guidance #263 is good for the health of animals because it allows veterinarians who have the appropriate training, experience and expertise to handle these drugs and help talk people through protocol development and treatment protocols when needed.

“We all have to do our part to improve and ensure the viability of antimicrobials going forward. And this is just one way that we will do this in the livestock industry, to show our support for those initiatives,” Lormore says.

Do What’s Best for Your Animals

The goal of all of this is to have better health and welfare for the animals under our care, Lowe explains.

“Nobody likes being told what to do – but the intent is to have a chat about this and make sure it’s right. We are bringing ourselves under the same standard as human medicine in the U.S.,” he says.

Although it’s hard to stand around and wait for your animal to get better, Lormore reminds producers, “Biology takes its own sweet time, and we don’t necessarily get a chance to change that timeline. The more producers intervene when it’s not necessary, the more likely they are to get an outcome that’s not in the best interest of the animals.”

Vaccines are one way livestock producers work to prevent disease rather than treat clinical disease, Lormore adds.

“Mitigating risks of diseases that we can control through vaccinations is both in the best interests of the animals, the best interest of the farms that own those animals and is the least stressful to the animals themselves overall,” Lormore says. “Prevention is always preferred over treatment.”

As foreign animal disease threats rise, Lowe says it’s a great time to foster more conversation between animal owners and veterinarians.

“This is one more excuse to have a conversation about what we are doing for FAD preparedness,” Lowe says. “There’s some other good that can come out of this to build relationships, so we don’t find ourselves at the point of, ‘What do we do now?’”

Read More:

Health Advocates and Online Activists Sue FDA Over Antibiotics in Livestock

DVM Reaches out to Livestock Owners About OTC Antimicrobials Move to Rx

FDA Publishes 2021 Report on Antimicrobial Use in Livestock

The Pig That Does More with Less (Antibiotics)

Nine Research Grants Focus on Improving Beef and Swine Antibiotic Use

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 14:24:06 GMT

With the goal of optimizing the use of antibiotics in livestock, the International Consortium for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Agriculture (ICASA) has awarded nine grants to develop management strategies that improve judicious antibiotic use in beef cattle and swine, says a recent release.

Investigating novel and potentially high-impact solutions to promote targeted antibiotic use and advance animal health and welfare, the grant-funded projects speak to the need to accelerate antibiotic stewardship research, says Dr. Saharah Moon Chapotin, Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) executive director.

The following grants have been awarded, according to the release:

— Dr. Raghavendra Amachawadi of Kansas State University (KSU) received $125,000 to identify specific bacterial species in cattle liver abscesses beyond the primary species, Fusobacterium necrophorum, and determine their prevalence and involvement in abscess formation, especially in the under-studied hindgut segment of the gastrointestinal tract. This research could help identify new interventions to minimize the occurrence of liver abscesses in cattle. Micronutrients Corporation, Cargill Incorporated and Phibro Animal Health Corporation are contributing additional funding for a total $280,000 investment.

— Dr. Rand Broadway of the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) received $85,700 to develop a minimally invasive model that induces liver abscesses and improves researchers’ ability to study the development and mitigation of the abscesses, while reducing the time necessary to generate enough animals to study. West Texas A&M University (WTAMU), ARS and KSU are contributing additional funding for a total $180,922 investment.

— Dr. Vinicius Machado of Texas Tech University (TTU) received $97,400 to investigate how beef cattle immune systems react throughout the lifecycle of F. necrophorum. Machado’s research is identifying potential pathways in which the bacteria subvert the hosts’ defenses during the development of liver abscess to lay the foundation for the formation of novel approaches, such as alternative drugs, that can potentially replace antimicrobials in liver abscess control and prevention strategies. TTU is contributing additional funding for a total $195,140 investment.

— Dr. Kristen Hales of TTU received $125,000 to investigate the gastrointestinal location, concentration and movement of F. necrophorum and Salmonella enterica, as well as the other organisms that live in the intestines of cattle with liver abscesses. This first phase of Hales’ research will inform a methodology to reduce F. necrophorum through a direct-fed microbial. TTU is contributing additional funding for a total $250,000 investment.

— Dr. Kendall Samuelson of WTAMU received $266,748 to develop a unique, repeatable method that induces liver abscesses in feedlot cattle to further investigate the relationship between acids in the rumen, the first chamber of a cow’s four-chamber stomach, and liver abscesses. Samuelson is also developing a scoring system to evaluate rumen health, updating the current liver scoring system to characterize liver abscess prevalence and developing a benchmark between these factors for future study. WTAMU and Cactus Feeders are contributing additional funding for a total $542,475 investment.

ICASA also funded a project that improves the collection, analysis and reporting of feedlot antibiotic usage data, which can potentially impact how corporations and regulatory agencies formulate policies on antimicrobial use in beef cattle.

— Dr. Michael Apley of KSU received $200,000 to develop a sustainable, practical system for individual beef producers to evaluate and report their antimicrobial usage in context of others across the beef feedlot industry. KSU is contributing additional funding for a total $400,022 investment.

Additionally, ICASA awarded three grants to develop management strategies in the prevention and treatment of Mycoplasma hyosynoviae (M. hyosynoviae) in swine. This ubiquitous bacterium causes respiratory disease and lameness in pigs, contributing to economic loss and decreased animal welfare, and is a major driver of antibiotic use in swine production.

— Dr. Tim Johnson from Purdue University College of Agriculture received $140,001 to investigate using fecal microbiota, or stool, transplants to reduce post-weaning diarrhea and antibiotic use in swine. Post-weaning diarrhea is caused when bacteria invade the gut, which becomes weakened from the diet change, transportation and change in environment that occurs during weaning. Johnson is administering the fecal transplants though a feed amendment with freeze-dried fecal microbiota, a less labor-intensive method than traditional oral gavage and better suited for commercial settings. If effective, the results could be optimized for other animal species like poultry and cattle and be developed into proprietary feed additive-type technologies by the animal health industry. Purdue University and the National Pork Board are contributing additional funding for a total $311,354 investment.

— Dr. Meghann Pierdon from the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) School of Veterinary Medicine received $127,703 to identify factors that cause swine lameness to determine whether management factors like floor type, pen size and nutrition underlie common lameness problems. Little is known about the incidence and causes of lameness in swine. If lameness is caused by non-bacterial factors, alternative methods of prevention can be identified, reducing antibiotic usage. Penn and PIC, are contributing additional funding for a total $268,493 investment.

— Dr. Maria Pieters from University of Minnesota (UMN) College of Veterinary Medicine received $149,748 to identify the optimal time for vaccine application against M. hyosynoviae, which will result in significant prevention of lameness development in grow-finish swine and translate into reduced use of antibiotics for disease control. Newport Laboratories, Tyson Foods, Pipestone Veterinary Services, UMN and Boehringer Ingelheim are contributing additional funding for a total $359,618 investment.

USDA Seeks to Fund Antimicrobial Resistance Dashboard Development

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 19:17:03 GMT

Addressing antimicrobial resistance is important to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), along with the agricultural and public health sectors. Antimicrobials are some of our most critical tools for treating serious infections and saving the lives of people and animals. That’s why APHIS is making up to $3 million in cooperative agreement funding available to create antimicrobial resistance dashboards.

These tools, developed through public-private partnerships, will be used to improve access to information on antimicrobial resistance in domesticated animals, USDA said in a release.

“Public-private partnerships are an essential part of achieving our goals at APHIS,” Administrator Kevin Shea said. “The dashboard tools developed through these cooperative agreements will help us better understand antimicrobial resistance in livestock, poultry, and companion animals, which ultimately helps protect public health.”

The antimicrobial resistance dashboards are being created to monitor trends in antimicrobial resistance patterns, detect emerging resistance profiles, and better understand relationships between antimicrobial use and animal health management practices and antimicrobial resistance.

The projects will support APHIS’ goals of:
• Developing antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools that can securely track the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistant microbes in domesticated animals.
• Identifying and/or developing methods for protecting data confidentiality of these dashboards.
• Identifying data user needs and preferences for antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools.
• Exploring aspects of data management for antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools.

Who is Eligible?
Eligible applicants include state departments of agriculture; Tribal entities; offices of state animal health officials; nonprofits; institutions of higher education; state or national livestock, poultry, or aquaculture producer organizations with direct and significant economic interest in livestock, poultry, or aquaculture production; state, national, allied, or regional veterinary organizations or specialty boards recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

All dashboard tools will be required to provide data protections similar to the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act, USDA noted.

The funding announcement will be open through February 20, 2023, for a total of 90 days. APHIS will post opportunities to Grants.gov and the agency will accept applications using the ezFedGrants system.

Read More:

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The Gray Area of Antibiotics: What Should I Use and When?

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 16:09:47 GMT

Which drugs can I use? When can I use them? In this case, it’s always best to refer to the label for drug information and administration protocols. However, there might be more questions raised that are not as black and white.

Veterinarians from Kansas State University share their recommendations when it comes to antibiotic decision-making.

Generic Products

While a number of brand-name drugs have been popular on the market for years, Brad White, DVM, explains there are several new generic or equivalent brands coming out as these original drugs come off patent.

Generic drugs need to meet a certain level of bio-equivalence — oftentimes everything in the bottle is the same, says Brian Lubbers, DVM. In addition, generic drugs usually decrease the price point at which people can purchase the products. That said, many generic products offer equal efficacy at a lower cost.

Antibiotic Use

Even though there is less money invested in these generic drugs and there are more products on the market, specifically for antibiotics, White recommends producers should not change their use patterns.

Making good antimicrobial and antibiotic decisions, such as using the right drug in the right animal at the right time, should influence producers’ decisions, says Bob Larson, DVM. This is not driven by price, necessarily, but by what provides an advantage to the health of the animal.

Is it Necessary?

A lower cost drug might seem more disposable, so Larson encourages producers take price out of the equation and truly consider the necessity of the drug.

At times, it is obvious whether an animal needs an antibiotic or not. However, Lubbers says, “We work in a pretty wide gray zone a lot of the time. When [producers] are in that gray zone, it’s easier to say, ‘well, it might help, and it’s not cost prohibitive, so I will go ahead,’” specifically when working with less expensive drugs.

Lubbers suggests having a conversation with a veterinarian to discuss the animal’s symptoms and develop a good case definition for when the drug is necessary.

White also encourages producers to make the decisions and protocols for their operation ahead of time, not when a sick animal is found. Be proactive and prepare to make the most conscious, efficient decisions for your operation and the animals raised.

NIFA Invests $5M in Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance Across the Food Chain

Thu, 26 May 2022 21:22:37 GMT

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced an investment of more than $5 million to mitigate antimicrobial resistance across the food chain.

“Pathogen resistance to antimicrobials is a complex problem, encompassing human medicine, poultry and livestock health, and even plant crop production,” Acting NIFA Director Dionne Toombs said in a release. “The projects supported through this investment will work to ensure a safe, nutritious and abundant food supply while conserving antimicrobial effectiveness.”

Part of NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance across the Food Chain grant program, it supports integrated research, education and Extension projects.

From risk assessment and antibiotic management and stewardship to advancing understanding of emerging resistant pathogens and their mechanisms for resistance and disease control using antimicrobial alternatives, NIFA’s work feeds into the federal strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance as described in the Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria National Action Plan 2020-2025.

Nine projects are being funded, totaling $5,117,165. Examples include:

• Scientists at the Iowa State University of Science and Technology will model the movement of bacteria through different environments, such as surface and subsurface water, as a route for bacterial movement from animal and human waste to plant crops. ($1,000,000)

• Scientists in Veterinary Preventive Medicine at The Ohio State University will study the movement of auctioned male calves through the market to better understand the use of antimicrobial drugs to prevent and treat disease. ($999,938)

Learn more.

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Probiotics May Pose Risks to Animal and Human Health

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 14:01:45 GMT

Probiotics may not be as beneficial for animal and human health as people think, says new research at Kansas State University. In most uses, probiotics are considered to be beneficial organisms for gut health in animals and humans.

Raghavendra Amachawadi, assistant professor of food animal therapeutics in the K-State College of Veterinary Medicine, and his team have discovered that a species of bacteria, Enterococcus faecium, which is contained in several commercial products for swine and cattle, can be a source of antibiotic resistance, according to a release .

“Although probiotics are beneficial bacteria, some bacterial species can have unintended negative consequences,” Amachawadi says in the release. “Our research has shown that Enterococcus faecium carries genes that confer resistance to antibiotics widely used in human medicine. Feeding such products to animals raises the possibility that the genes can be transferred to pathogenic bacteria and make them resistant to antibiotics, which can be passed on to humans.”

At this point, he says this is only a theoretical possibility. There is no evidence of such transfer actually taking place in the gut and subsequent human exposure.

The study utilized whole genome sequence-based analysis to assess virulence potential, detect antimicrobial resistance genes and analyze phylogenetic relationships of E. faecium strains from commercial swine and cattle probiotics.

“Because use of antibiotics creates resistance in bacteria, which is a huge public health concern, producers are seeking replacements for antibiotics,” Amachawadi says in the release. “Most commercial probiotic products contain live bacteria that benefit the animal by improving the gut bacterial balance.”

In the future, probiotic products may need to undergo a test for antimicrobial resistance genes before they are marketed for use in food animals, the study suggests.

Funded in part by a grant from the National Pork Board, the study included researchers from the animal sciences and industry and diagnostic medicine and pathobiology departments at K-State, as well as the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition division of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at Laurel, Md.

“ Whole genome sequence analyses-based assessment of virulence potential and antimicrobial susceptibilities and resistance of Enterococcus faecium strains isolated from commercial swine and cattle probiotic products ,” was published recently in the Journal of Animal Science.

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Animal Health Companies Target Ways to Lower Antimicrobial Resistance

Thu, 18 Nov 2021 12:00:00 GMT

Antimicrobial resistance is a “One Health” challenge that requires effort across both human and animal health sectors, said Patricia Turner, president of World Veterinary Association.

Developing 100 new vaccines by 2025 was one of 25 commitments made by the world’s largest animal health companies in the Roadmap to Reducing the Need for Antibiotics report that was first published in 2019 by HealthforAnimals.

In the past two years, animal health companies have invested billions in veterinary research and the development of 49 new vaccines as part of an industry-wide strategy to reduce the need for antibiotics, according to a recent progress report released in Belgium.

The recently developed vaccines offer increased protection against disease across many animal species including cattle, poultry, swine, fish as well as pets, the release said. It is a sign the industry is halfway towards its vaccine target with four more years to go.

“New vaccines are essential to reducing the risk of drug resistance developing by preventing diseases in animals that could otherwise lead to antibiotic treatment, such as salmonella, bovine respiratory disease and infectious bronchitis, and preserving vital medicines for both urgent human and animal use,” HealthforAnimals said in a release.

The newest update shows the sector is on track or ahead of schedule across all of its commitments, including investing $10 billion in research and development, and training more than 100,000 veterinarians in responsible antibiotic use.

“The new tools and training provided by the animal health sector will support veterinarians and producers to reduce the need for antimicrobials in animals, which better safeguards people and the environment. We congratulate the animal health sector for the progress achieved to date towards reaching their Roadmap targets,” Turner said in a release.

What’s Next?

Animal health companies are considering ways to expand and add to these targets in the years ahead to accelerate progress in reducing the burden on antibiotics, the report noted.

“The Roadmap is unique across the health industries for setting measurable targets and regular status updates on our efforts to address antibiotic resistance,” said Carel du Marchie Sarvaas, executive director of HealthforAnimals. “Few, if any, have set these types of traceable goals and the progress to date shows how seriously animal health companies are taking our responsibility to tackle this collective challenge, which poses a threat to lives and livelihoods around the world.”

The industry has also launched a series of other preventative products that contribute to lower levels of livestock disease, minimizing the need for antibiotics in animal agriculture, the release said.

Animal health companies created 17 new diagnostic tools out of a target of 20 to help veterinarians prevent, identify and treat animal diseases earlier, as well as seven nutritional supplements that boost immune systems.

Comparatively, the sector brought three new antibiotics to market in the same period, reflecting the increased investment in developing products that prevent illness and the need for antibiotics in the first place, Healthfor Animals said.

In the past two years, the industry has trained more than 650,000 veterinary professionals and provided more than $6.5 million in scholarships to veterinary students.

The Roadmap for Reducing the Need for Antibiotics not only set targets to increase research and development, but it also is focused on One Health approaches, communications, veterinary training and knowledge sharing. The next progress report is expected in 2023.

HealthforAnimals members include Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Ceva, Elanco, Merck Animal Health, Phibro, Vetoquinol, Virbac, Zenoaq and Zoetis.

Read More:

Tools for Managing Pigs Without Antibiotics

Universities Partner to Study Antimicrobial Use in Food Animal Production

FDA Releases Five-Year Plan for Veterinary Antimicrobial Stewardship

Tools for Managing Pigs Without Antibiotics

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 17:00:53 GMT

Raising pigs without antibiotics requires extra management and different tools compared to traditional commercial hog production, reports Laura Carroll, DVM, veterinarian with Four Star Veterinary Service, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Carroll works with many hog producers who raise pigs without antibiotics for specialty markets.

“We’ve found with antibiotic-free production that the basics are much more important — feed, water and air,” she told Pig Health Today . Things like proper ventilation, access to feed, an adequate supply of water, the right number of nipples for pigs in the pen all become very important.

“Vaccination is another component,” Carroll said. “Commercial and autogenous vaccinations are utilized quite a bit to make sure we’re preventing these disease challenges from occurring.”

Veterinary Oversight
While Carroll believes it’s important for all producers to work with their veterinarians, hog farms not using antibiotics will need a little more veterinary oversight.

“We certainly want to make sure we’re on top of any disease challenges as they arise, just because we are limited in the tools in our toolbox that we can utilize,” she explained.
“We have to be a little bit creative in terms of managing pig health and figuring out ways to produce high-quality pigs,” she added.

Adding Acidifiers
One tool Carroll and her associates rely on to help baby pigs get a good start is acidifiers. The product is fed on creep feed in the farrowing house.

“We use acidifiers mostly to reduce the pH in the GI (gastrointestinal) tract to make it a more acidic environment,” she said. “Some of the harmful bacteria we deal with like to live in more alkaline, more basic environments. If we can provide an acidic environment to the pigs, then we’re reducing the growth of this potentially harmful bacteria.”

Acidifiers also help newly weaned pigs break down feed in their gut because they lack the ability to produce enough acid to do it themselves.

“If we can provide some acidifiers to the diet or through water, then we’re making digestion a lot easier on that pig,” she explained. “Weaning can be somewhat stressful, and this really helps get these pigs started.”

Prebiotics and Probiotics
Carroll uses prebiotics and probiotics to maintain a balance of good and bad bacteria in the GI tract.

“Prebiotics are used to help promote the growth of that good bacteria, almost like fertilizer for the good bacteria in the GI tract,” she explained. “Probiotics are the good bacteria themselves. Lots of times these are live cultures or live organisms that we are utilizing.”

Both products are used in times of stress, including enteric disease challenges and weaning, when there’s a disruption in the gut microflora.

Nutritional Supplements
“We utilize nutritional supplements in many cases when pigs just aren’t feeling well,” Carroll said. “It could be from the stress of weaning, for example, or when they’re undergoing disease challenges.”

This is especially true for younger pigs that don’t have a lot of energy reserves to use when sick.

“In cases of diarrhea, there could be a lot of fluid loss,” she said. “We need to try to replace those electrolytes, replace the nutrition in these animals and keep them hydrated so we can keep them going. Nursing piglets and weaned pigs require a lot of energy to nurse and to get up to the feeder and drinker.”

Crossover to Commercial
Depending on the situation, Carroll prescribes these products in commercial systems, too.

“We utilize a lot of these products, either to replace some antibiotics or in conjunction with antibiotics,” she explained. “They’re a nice supplement.

“And certainly, from an animal-welfare standpoint, I think it improves how we’re handling our pigs when they’re going through some stress.”
Veterinary oversight continues to be important to make sure these products are used correctly, Carroll added.

More from Farm Journal’s PORK:

Toxic Grit: Is Our Greatest Strength Our Greatest Weakness on the Farm?

Antibiotic Alternative Scores Well in Second Round of Swine Trials

Antibiotic-Free Production Puts Pigs at Extreme Disease Risk

7 Alternatives To Antibiotic Use Identified By Researchers

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:57:18 GMT

The overuse of antibiotics in livestock production is fueling consumer concerns on a global basis. Today, 100 countries have national action plans committed to fighting antimicrobial resistance, according to Lux Research. A new report from the organization, “ Beyond Antibiotics: The Future of Animal Health Alternatives ,” identifies seven alternatives to antibiotics that could help support the animal health industry and producers, while reducing antibiotic use.

(Farm Journal)

The report highlights three main categories of antibiotic alternatives: eubiotics, targeted antimicrobial agents and vaccines. The categories in the report are further broken down into seven technologies aimed at improving animal health: probiotics, prebiotics, organic acids, phytogenics, bacteriophages, antimicrobial peptides and vaccines.

Researchers believe eubiotic solutions could be one of the more successful antibiotic alternatives in the near term “given the advanced states of technology readiness, scalability, ease of approval, and product cost,” explains Laura Krishfield, research associate at Lux and co-author of the report, in a news release.

“Alternatively, we believe that targeted antimicrobials like bacteriophage and antimicrobial peptides should be considered a long-term opportunity, as the current state of technological readiness can be unclear, and regulatory hurdles abound,” she adds.

Not all products are equally scalable, the researchers note in the release. But by linking key characteristics – for instance, the scalability of probiotic fermentation – with the production and secretion of antimicrobial peptides, solutions can achieve increased scalability and cost reductions.

(Farm Journal)

Antibiotic Resistance in 2020: Fight Fiction with Facts

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:54:13 GMT

In a recent episode of 60 Minutes , antibiotic use in the livestock industry, and pork producers in particular, were cast in a harsh light. NPPC and others cited problems with that reporting . The editors of Farm Journal’s PORK and Bovine Veterinarian pulled together resources, including the current state of antibiotic use, to help you educate consumers about antibiotic use in all sectors of the livestock industry.

As we enter a new year and a new decade, antibiotic stewardship remains on the top of issues affecting food-animal veterinarians. Continued public pressure, along with regulatory actions, will drive ongoing change, with more emphasis on preventive care and more veterinarian oversight of antibiotic use.

In September 2019, FDA released draft guidance for industry (GFI) 263, outlining a process for bringing remaining approved animal drugs containing antimicrobials of human medical importance under the oversight of licensed veterinarians, changing the approved marketing status from over-the-counter (OTC) to prescription (Rx). This would include dosage forms such as injectable or intra-mammary antibiotic products now available OTC.

The action builds on the earlier GFI 213, which eliminated performance claims from labels for medically important antibiotics and brought purchase of most medicated feeds under the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD).

Also, by September 2020, FDA plans to issue a draft strategy to ensure that all medically important antimicrobial drugs used in the feed or drinking water of food-producing animals have an appropriately targeted duration of use.

Several recent reports have shown the livestock industry has made progress toward continuous improvement in antimicrobial stewardship. Nevertheless, activists and consumers will continue to apply pressure for more regulations, and for retail-driven standards beyond those imposed by government. Looking ahead, we’ll need to practice and publicize efforts to improve antibiotic stewardship while protecting animal health, welfare, food safety and producer profitability.

Antimicrobial Resistance: Building a Better Mousetrap

“Build a better mousetrap, and the world will beat a path to your door.”

When it comes to the complex challenges surrounding antimicrobial resistance (AMR), researchers say that many solutions to this expanding problem have been proposed, researched, developed, deployed and often, discarded. The pursuit of a better mousetrap continues.

FDA Antibiotic Report is No Surprise to Pork Industry

A significant decline in the usage of medically important antibiotics in food production came as no surprise Tuesday in the Food and Drug Administration’s report, says Liz Wagstrom, chief veterinarian for the National Pork Producers Council.

Sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials intended for use in food-producing animals dropped 33% between 2016 and 2017, and a 43% decline since 2015, the peak year for usage.

U.S. Pork Industry Ends 2018 with Major Antibiotic Progress

America’s 60,000 pig farmers and their veterinarians are ending 2018 with recognition of their diligence to use medically important antibiotics in a strictly responsible way. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s newly published Annual Summary Report on Antimicrobials Sold or Distributed for Use in Food-Producing Animals cites 2017 data that shows a 33% decline in this most critical class of antibiotics intended for use in food animals. When added to the decline found in the 2016 data, it confirms a reduction of 43% in this class of antibiotics from the 2015 level.

Antimicrobial Resistance: Hospitals, Farms Share More Than You Think

What do hospitals and pig farms have in common? More than you think, says Bill Pomputius, pediatric infection disease consultant at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota.

“We share a lot of bugs and resistance genes, but we also may share a lot of solutions,” Pomputius says.

Antibiotic exposure is an inescapable web, making antibiotic resistance a reality we can’t avoid. About 175,000 tons of antimicrobials are produced globally each year, he says.

“Our use of antibiotics accelerates the pace at which antibiotic resistance emerges and spreads in bacteria through both evolution and selective pressure,” Pomputius says.

U.S. Pig Farmers Embrace Responsible Antibiotic Use Every Day

America’s 60,000 pig farmers are dedicated to raising healthy animals to ensure a safe food supply. Today, that commitment means placing a high priority on using antibiotics responsibly for the health of people, pigs and the planet. As this year’s U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week and World Antibiotic Awareness Week, Nov. 18-24, gets underway, America’s pig farmers want to highlight their ongoing efforts to achieve excellent antibiotic stewardship and their determination to always seek improvement.

“Using antibiotics responsibly is something that pig farmers are doing every single day,” said David Newman, a pig farmer from Arkansas and the National Pork Board president. “Antibiotic Awareness Week is a good time to reinforce this stewardship by reviewing herd-health plans and the best practices found in the Pork Quality Assurance® Plus (PQA Plus®) certification program. It’s also a good time to involve all animal caretakers and continue to raise their awareness about the role they play in responsible antibiotic use.”

Veterinarians Key in Antimicrobial Stewardship in U.S. Swine Sites

A new USDA report provides the nation’s first in-depth look at antimicrobial use and stewardship practices on U.S. swine sites.

The USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System’s (NAHMS) Antimicrobial Use and Stewardship on U.S. Swine Operations 2017 study collected information about antimicrobial use and stewardship practices on U.S. swine sites from July 1 through Dec. 31, 2016—before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implemented antimicrobial use policy changes on Jan. 1, 2017.

These FDA changes eliminated the use of medically important antimicrobials for growth promotion purposes in food animals and required veterinary oversight for the use of medically important antimicrobials in animal feed or water.

Prepare for More Antibiotic Rules

Market forces and regulatory actions will drive emphasis on disease prevention and antibiotic stewardship.

Antimicrobial Sales Post Moderate Increase in 2018

FDA’s annual summary report on antimicrobial sales for use in food animals shows a small year-over-year increase in 2018, but the total remains well below pre-VFD levels.

NARMS Releases Latest Report on Antimicrobial Resistance Trends

This week, the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) released its 2016-2017 NARMS Integrated Summary.

Good and Bad News in CDC’s 2019 Antibiotic Resistance Threats Report

U.S. fatalities associated with antibiotic-resistant pathogens have declined, but threats remain as resistance emerges in previously susceptible organisms.

Princeton Study: Antibiotic Resistance Increasing Globally

According to an analysis published in the journal Science, antibiotic resistance among bacteria affecting food animals has nearly tripled over the past 20 years.

FDA Funds Duration of Use Studies

The FDA has awarded two $250,000 grants to fund research projects in fiscal year 2019 to help target and define durations of use for certain medically important antimicrobial drugs administered in animal feed.

FDA Releases Draft GFI to End OTC Sales of Most Animal Antibiotics

The proposal would bring remaining approved over-the-counter medically important antimicrobial drugs used for animals under veterinary oversight.

FDA Reports on VFD Compliance

On August 29, FDA released its first report on inspection and compliance activities.

New FDA Guidance Clarifies Labeling for Drugs Used in Feed

The FDA has issued a new Guidance for Industry (GFI #181), which provides content and format regulations for the representative “Blue Bird” labeling to be used for Type B and Type C medicated feeds.

Good and Bad News in CDC’s 2019 Antibiotic Resistance Threats Report

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:53:06 GMT

U.S. fatalities associated with antibiotic-resistant pathogens have declined, but threats remain as resistance emerges in previously susceptible organisms.

Those mixed results come from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which this week release its 2019 Antibiotic Resistance Threats Report . The most recent previous report was issued in 2013, and CDC officials outlined progress over the past six years during a Nov. 13 news briefing.

During the briefing, CDC Director Robert R Redfield, M.D., and Michael Craig, MPP, with the CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance Coordination and Strategy Unit, noted that antibiotic-resistant (AR) bacteria and fungi cause more than 2.8 million infections and 35,000 deaths in the United States each year.

Back in 2013, the CDC study provided an estimate of 23,000 U.S. deaths from AR bacteria and fungi. However, using more comprehensive methodology developed for the 2019 report, the agency revised their 2013 estimate to 44,000 deaths. Using those revised figures, the 2019 report shows a, 18% reduction in annual AR-associated deaths since 2013.

Redfield notes that infections acquired during visits to hospitals or other health-care facilities account for about 85% of fatalities associated with antibiotic resistance. Since 2013, the report indicates a 30% decline in deaths from infections acquired in hospitals. He attributes the improvement to better infection prevention and control in healthcare facilities, better diagnostics and early intervention, improvements in food safety and other preventive measures such as vaccination. Redfield stresses that vaccination remains our most powerful tool for preventing infectious diseases and thus slowing emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.

The report lists 18 urgent, serious and concerning threats, with threats rated as urgent including:

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter
Candida auris (C. auris)
Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile)
Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) Drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae)

In his introduction to the report, Dr. Redfield notes that combatting antibiotic resistance and protecting public health in the future will require fundamental mindset changes, including these steps:

Stop referring to a coming post-antibiotic era—it’s already here. You and I are living in a time when some miracle drugs no longer perform miracles. Stop playing the blame game. Each person, industry, and country can affect the development of antibiotic resistance.
Stop relying only on new antibiotics that are slow getting to market and that, sadly, these germs will one day render ineffective. We need to adopt aggressive strategies that keep the germs away and infections from occurring in the first place.
Stop believing that antibiotic resistance is a problem “over there” in someone else’s hospital, state, or country—and not in our own backyard.

“Simply, here’s what works,” Redfield writes. “Preventing infections protects everyone. Improving antibiotic use in people and animals slows the threat and helps preserve today’s drugs and those yet to come. Detecting threats and implementing interventions to keep germs from becoming widespread saves lives.”

The report’s authors note the important role of livestock producers and veterinarians, and suggest these actions for veterinarians

Prevent Disease: Implement best practices for animal husbandry, vaccination, nutrition, and biosecurity (e.g., infection control). Educate people who engage with animals on how to prevent disease.

Maintain Accurate Records of Treatment & Outcomes: Document and review diagnostic test results and patient response to therapy. Re-evaluate reason for prescribing, dose, and duration as needed.

Stay Current: Stay up-to-date on disease prevention tools; consensus and prescribing guidelines; local, state, and federal requirements; and professional standards for antibiotic use.

Clean Your Hands & Equipment: Wash your hands regularly to remove germs, avoid getting sick, and prevent spread of germs between animals and people. Disinfect equipment to help prevent spread among animals and between farms.

Select & Use Antibiotics Appropriately: Follow regulatory requirements (antibiotic use should involve veterinary oversight per U.S. guidance). Use current established guidelines and diagnostic tests to assess the need, selection, dose, frequency, and duration of antibiotics.

Prevent Environmental Contamination: Dispose of unused or expired antibiotics appropriately.

Commit to Antibiotic Stewardship: Implement practice-level stewardship activities, including documenting antibiotic use data, examining use practices, and serving as an educational resource for clients. Engage veterinary diagnostic labs to provide antibiograms to help determine which antibiotics will effectively treat infections. Become familiar with and use the American Veterinary Medical Association established antibiotic use principles to build an antibiotic stewardship plan for your practice settings.

View the full 2019 Antibiotic Resistance Threat Report from the CDC.

For more on antibiotic-resistance trends, see these articles from BovineVetOnline:

Princeton Study: Antibiotic Resistance Increasing Globally

FDA Releases Draft GFI to End OTC Sales of Most Animal Antibiotics

AMR Issue Exemplifies “One-Health” Approach

FDA Releases Five-Year Plan for Veterinary Antimicrobial Stewardship

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:15:27 GMT

On September 14, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) unveiled its five-year action plan for supporting antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings. This plan builds upon the important steps CVM has taken to eliminate production uses of medically important antimicrobials (i.e., antimicrobials important for treating human disease) and to bring all remaining therapeutic uses of these drugs under the oversight of licensed veterinarians. It also supports the judicious use of antimicrobials in food-producing animals and is driven by the concept that medically important antimicrobial drugs should only be used in animals when necessary for the treatment, control or prevention of specific diseases.

As part of its regulatory mission, CVM is responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of animal drugs, including antimicrobials, and coordinates the development and implementation of regulations and policies pertaining to antimicrobial drugs intended for use in animals. Supporting Antimicrobial Stewardship in Veterinary Settings: Goals for Fiscal Years 2019-2023 is CVM’s blueprint for guiding its activities over the next five years to combat antimicrobial resistance and preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs. This includes applying a risk-based approach to evaluate new and currently approved antimicrobial products for animals, collaborating with key stakeholders to support stewardship of these products by end users, and collecting data on resistance and antimicrobial use to monitor the effectiveness of these actions to slow the development of resistance.

CVM plans to initiate the actions outlined in this document in phases over the next five fiscal years. This phased approach will allow for adjustments based on critical, science-based analysis, public health impact, and feedback from stakeholders. In the coming years, CVM will further engage stakeholders and the public as it develops and implements the strategies for addressing individual actions identified in this plan.

As reflected in the remarks made today by FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., CVM’s plan is part of a broader agency-wide strategy for combating antimicrobial resistance in both veterinary and human health care settings, including efforts to facilitate product development to ensure a robust pipeline of safe and effective treatments that can combat resistant organisms.

VFD Audits: What to Expect

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:12:10 GMT

Comply with the rules, keep good records and organize those records for accessibility, and you shouldn’t worry about FDA inspectors scheduling an audit. That general message surfaced repeatedly during a recent webinar on the VFD audit process hosted by GlobalVetLink. The webinar featured several presenters representing different industry segments affected by the expanded VFD rules, implemented in January 2017. They included:

Tyler Holck, DVM, with Feed His People, LLC.
Peter Schneider, DVM, with Innovative Agriculture Solutions, LLC, and a swine producer.
Mike Apley, DVM, PhD, Kansas State University.
Matt Frederking, VP for Regulatory Affairs, Mid America Pet Food, LLC.

This article summarizes Dr. Schneider’s presentation which focused on his experience with a VFD “educational audit” FDA conducted at his family’s swine operation in 2017. Over the first year since the rules launched, FDA has focused its audits on education rather than penalties for non-compliance, but enforcement will become stricter over time.

Schneider says the typical pathway for an FDA investigation will begin at the feed distributor that sells medicated feeds subject to VFD regulations. These audits are unannounced, and the inspectors likely will review VFD orders from multiple customers.

The audit might end there, or the inspectors might select some VFD orders to follow back to the veterinarians who issued them and to the producers who purchased the medicated feeds. The inspectors will notify veterinarians and producers prior to the audit, but the time will be short, with most follow-up audits conducted within 24 hours of the initial feed-distributor audit.

Schneider notes that FDA relies on state departments of agriculture to assist with the audits. In his case, the inspection team included one representative from the FDA and one from the Iowa Department of Agriculture. The inspection, he says, was relatively painless and took less than one hour to complete.

The process, he says, was relatively simple. The inspectors asked to review the operation’s VFD records and used a standardized VFD inspection tool , essentially a checklist of questions for distributors, veterinarians and producers, to complete the audit. Key points included verification that the veterinarian is licensed to practice in that state and has a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) with the operation, and that the producer has maintained records for the required two years and has followed the VFD and the product label specifications in administering the medicated feeds.

Schneider lists these take-home points:

Details are important. Ensure that your VFD forms include pertinent information on animals, rations, dosage and duration of use for VFD products
Justification is important. Be sure to document the reasons for using a VFD product, based on the veterinarian’s familiarity with the operation and animals, diagnostics and best professional judgement.
Beware of “double dipping.” Pulse treatments, or repeated treatments with a medicated feed, must be justified and a new VFD is needed for the second or subsequent courses of treatment.
If a producer and veterinarian determine a treatment is not working during the period covered by a VFD, they can and should switch to a different treatment, with a new VFD.
Keep good records. The biggest weakness the FDA has noted in VFD compliance has been a lack of documentation, particularly at the producer level. More records and greater detail probably will serve you better than less.

The recorded webinar is available for on-demand viewing from GlobalVetLink .

Webinar to Explore VFD Audit Process

Fri, 20 Nov 2020 05:11:46 GMT

With implementation of the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) changes now over a year underway, the FDA inspection process is expected to happen more frequently in the coming months.

GlobalVetLINK (GVL®) is hosting VFD Audit Process Q&A , a free webinar to help the industry better understand the VFD inspection process, on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. (CDT).

The VFD Audit webinar will address the inspection process, documentation concerns, challenges with implementation, and the FDA’s responses to questions from the industry. The webinar outline and expert presenters include:

Veterinarian VFD Audit Experience – Peter Schneider, DVM, Innovative Agriculture Solutions, LLC

VFD Implementation Challenges – Mike Apley, DVM, PhD, Kansas State University

Feed Distributor VFD Audit Perspective – Matt Frederking, Mid America Pet Food, LLC

FDA Responses and Live Q&A – Tyler Holck, DVM, MS, MBA, Feed His People LLC

If you are unable to attend the webinar on May 9th, it will be recorded and made available to view online. Complete the registration process to ensure that you have access to watch the recording. Register for the webinar online

Webinar to Explore VFD Audit Process

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 05:09:31 GMT