January 1st came and brought a new set of rules and questions. This article reconfirms the regulatory details and offers some questions for producers should ask themselves before inspections occur. They include:
- Did you keep copies of VFD orders for at least two years?
- Did you feed the authorized number of animals on the VFD order?
- Did you feed VFD feed for identified duration on the VFD order?
- Did you stop feeding the VFD feed prior to the expiration date on the VFD order?
- Did you follow withdrawal period for VFD feed, if any?
- Did you follow any special instructions or caution statements on the VFD order, if any?
- If a combination VFD feed was fed, was its use consistent with affirmation statement on the VFD order?
- Did you have labels for VFD feeds?
If Yes,
- Does the feed label contain the VFD caution statement?
- Did the drug level on the label match the drug level on the VFD form?
- Is the drug level and indication on VFD form consistent with approval?
Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, January 2017, page 12.
Mike Apley, DVM, PhD, Kansas State University says, “Do not try to game the system or look for loopholes in the VFD rules.”
Also see: Beyond the VFD, Dairy Herd Management, January 2017.