Just what is good antibiotic use?

by William M. Sischo and Dale A. Moore The authors are in the Food and Waterborne Disease Research Unit at Washington State University, Pullman. The article is part of a series being prepared in cooperation with the American Association of Bovine Practitioners.

Prevention still is our most powerful medicine.

While most antibiotics are going to be administered by injection or pill, some also can be administered in feeds and water. Check with your nutritionist and feed supplier about ALL the ingredients in the feeds you purchase, and review the ingredients with your nutritionist and veterinarian. In particular, milk replacers and feeds for yearlings often have antibiotics. Not all the antibiotics that we use on the farm carry the same weight for creating bacterial resistance. The main products that do not concern public health are the ionophores (monensin also known as Rumensin and lasalocid also known as Bovatec) and the coccidiostats (decoquinate also known as Decoxx). It's not that imprudent use of these antibiotics won't create resistance, it's that any resistance that might occur does not have implications for the treatment of disease in people. Residues still are a consideration, so use these products as labeled. Click here to return to the Dairy Probiotics E-Sources 1107_441