Pork Producers Advised to Prepare for Antibiotic Use Changes

Manitoba Pork is encouraging pork producers to make sure they are fully prepared for new regulations that will take effect later this year pertaining to the access and use of antibiotics

by Bruce Cochrane – FarmScape Online

Health Canada has scheduled several changes to regulations related to the access and use of veterinary drugs, particularly antibiotics, for December 1, 2018.

“I’d say the vast majority of producers, all the veterinary drugs they use, they get guidance from their veterinarians on how to use them already so the use itself won’t change,” Mark Fynn, the Manager of Quality Assurance and Animal Care Programs with Manitoba Pork, told FarmScape Online during a recent interview. “Most, if not all, pork producers out there already have an established relationship ongoing with a veterinarian.”

“Some of the access will change a little bit and farmers will have to purchase antibotics through a veterinarian or a pharmacist”

 

Fynn says the biggest change is that, where as most antibiotics used in livestock production already required a prescription, all antibiotics will require a prescription.

“What that really means is that producers will need prescriptions for some of the veterinary drugs, especially the antibiotics, that they’ve been using so they’ll have to get a prescription from their veterinarian to access it,” Fynn added. “Some of the access will change a little bit and they’ll have to purchase it through a veterinarian or a pharmacist or, if they’re using feed mediations at all, they’ll need that prescription and have to buy it in a feed from a commercial feed mill.”

According to Fynn farmers won’t be able to get antibiotics through a common agricultural supply store, but all the veterinary products that were available before the changes came into place, will still be available afterwards.

“It’ll just require a prescription and might change where they’re actually purchased from in the end.”

Fynn says most farms already have ongoing relationships where veterinarians visit at least once every year and many operations require much more frequent visits.

He also says, for advice in preparing for the changes, contact your herd veterinarian or Manitoba Pork.