NEW PRAGUE, Minn. — Antibiotic use is vital to the health and welfare of food producing animals. However, improper antibiotic use may contribute to antibiotic resistant infections in humans. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention states on their website that any time antibiotics are used, in people and animals, they can contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance.
Appropriate administration of antibiotics is important for young dairy calves, especially those raised for veal, as they face early-life challenges, such as unknown colostrum management practices on the dairy farm of origin, long-distance transport, and pathogen exposure as they enter different environments before arriving to the veal grower.
To elevate educational training and resources provided to veal growers and industry representatives on this important topic, the Veal Quality Assurance (VQA) program has partnered with The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine to develop educational materials to guide treatment decisions to safeguard calf health and welfare and improve antibiotic stewardship.
Antibiotic Stewardship – Ensuring judicious antibiotic use and mitigating the impact of antibiotic resistance in veal calves — is the focus of a three-part training program added to the current VQA certification process. VQA is funded by the Beef Checkoff and managed by the North American Meat Institute, a contractor to the Beef Board.
“While the veal industry has had a good track record on residue avoidance, continuous improvement is the goal,” said Greg Habing, DVM and Associate Professor, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University. “Research we’ve conducted on veal farms indicates even with veterinary oversight, there is still opportunity to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use. This program is aimed at changing that.”
The three modules covered in the 90-minute webinar on Antibiotic Stewardship include:
- Module 1 – Understanding Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance
- Module 2 – Enhancing Clinical Evaluation
- Module 3 –Applying Decision-tree Protocols
The modules use a variety of scenarios to provide valuable, relevant and practical instructions to make accurate health assessments. Additionally, growers will have enhanced understanding for what antibiotic resistance means, the differences between bacteria and a virus, and when antibiotic treatment is needed and when it is not. The program content was created by Greg Habing, DVM, PhD, Martey Masterson, DVM and Jessica Pempek, PhD, all from The Ohio State University.
“Responsible antibiotic use is essential to prevent emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, protect people and animals from adverse drug effects, and avoid antibiotic residue in animal products,” said Jessica Pempek, PhD, Assistant Professor and Animal Welfare Specialist at The Ohio State University.
“The benefits of antibiotic stewardship include better health outcomes, improved animal welfare, enhanced food safety and stemming the growth of antibiotic resistance. Additionally, stewardship may help lower treatment costs and lower production losses,” according to Pempek.
To access these Antibiotic Stewardship in Veal Calves training materials contact VQA program manager, DonnaM@LookEast.com. Additional information on Veal Quality Assurance can be found online at www.veal.org
Every beef and veal farmer, and every beef or veal importer, contributes one dollar per head to a fund called the National Beef Checkoff, which is used to support the Veal Quality Assurance Program. This program is administered by the North American Meat Institute, a contractor to the beef checkoff.
Background about the Dairy Calf and Heifer Association:
DCHA applied for 1.5 Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) credit, which helps veterinarians and veterinary technicians fulfill continuing education requirements. For further information about DCHA’s RACE offerings, contact JoDee Sattler at: jodee@calfandheifer.org.
For more information about DCHA’s webinars, e-mail Sue Schatz, DCHA member services director, at: sue@calfandheifer.org. Follow DCHA on social media or visit the DCHA website to learn about future webinars.
The Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (www.calfandheifer.org) was founded in 1996 based on the mission to help dairy producers, calf managers and those professionally focused on the growth and management of dairy calves and heifers. With a national membership of producers, allied industries and research leaders, DCHA seeks to provide the industry’s standards for profitability, performance and leadership, serving as a catalyst to help members improve the vitality and viability of their individual efforts and that of their business.
— Dairy Calf and Heifer Association
For more articles on veal, click here.
RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
NEW PRAGUE, Minn. — Join Dairy Calf & Heifer Association (DCHA) for its next webinar – “New NASEM Requirements for Calves: Turn Information into Action” – set for June 30, at 2 p.m. Central time (U.S./Canada). Jim Quigley, Cargill calf and heifer technical lead, is the presenter for this free, one-hour educational offering. The June […]
NEW PRAGUE, Minn. — “Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction in Cattle: Causes and Consequences” headlines the next Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (DCHA) webinar. Sara Kvidera, an Elanco Animal Health dairy technical consultant, will lead the free, one-hour DCHA webinar that starts at 2 p.m. Central time (Chicago time) on May 19. The American Association of Veterinary […]
NEW PRAGUE, Minn. — Whether you raise heifers from birth to freshening, or one or more of the stages in between, this year’s Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (DCHA) Annual Conference and Trade Show offers numerous educational opportunities. Join DCHA members April 12-14, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Bloomington, Bloomington, Minn., for this outstanding networking […]
NEW PRAGUE, Minn. — “Tips to Manage Heat Stress in Calves and Heifers” headlines the next Dairy Calf and Heifer Association (DCHA) webinar. Jennifer Trout, a Cargill Animal Nutrition calf and heifer specialist, will lead the free, one-hour DCHA webinar that starts at 2 p.m. Central time (Chicago time) on May 6. It’s commonplace for […]
NEW PRAGUE, Minn. — The Dairy Calf & Heifer Association (DCHA) board of directors and staff invite you to attend the 2021 DCHA Annual Conference and Trade Show, April 6-8, at the Red Lion Hotel Paper Valley, Appleton, Wis. With the theme “25 Years of Growing Your Dairy’s Future,” the DCHA Annual Conference and Trade […]
