Ask a few dairy producers what’s been on their minds lately and you’ll likely hear antibiotic use.
Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) understands the concerns about antibiotic resistance and is dedicated to helping the dairy industry reduce its overall antibiotic use. In an effort to do so, they invited dairy producers and veterinarians to join them in taking a pledge to commit to using their antibiotics judiciously, specifically when it comes to treating mastitis, at industry trade shows over the last year.
“Trade shows are a great way for us to get out and talk about this topic,” said Dr. Linda Tikofsky, senior associate director of dairy cattle professional veterinary services at BI. “We’re eager to talk with producers to help them further understand the ethical and medical responsibility to use the correct antibiotic for the condition being treated, at the proper dosage, at the correct time, for the appropriate duration, and always with veterinary oversight,” she explained. “More than 170 producers and veterinarians signed our pledge, joining our commitment to stand together and use antibiotics judiciously.”
Dr. Craig Jones, head of cattle professional veterinary services for the U.S. cattle business unit at BI said that with a strong preventive medicine protocol and strong animal care standards, BI believes antibiotic use can be decreased substantially over time. “Taking one small step today can make a difference for the future of the industry,” Dr. Jones continued. “While cattle health starts with preventive medicine, antibiotics are also important for the well-being of cattle."
Show your commitment to the responsible use of antibiotics by taking the pledge at bi-pledge.com.
ABOUT BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM
Boehringer Ingelheim
Innovative medicines for people and animals have for more than 130 years been what the research-driven pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim stands for. Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the industry’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies and to this day remains family-owned. Day by day, some 50,000 employees create value through innovation for the three business areas human pharmaceuticals, animal health and biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing. In 2016, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of around 15.9 billion euros. With more than three billion euros, R&D expenditure corresponds to 19.6 percent of net sales.
Social responsibility comes naturally to Boehringer Ingelheim. That is why the company is involved in social projects, such as the “Making More Health” initiative. Boehringer Ingelheim also actively promotes workforce diversity and benefits from its employees’ different experiences and skills. Furthermore, the focus is on environmental protection and sustainability in everything the company does.
More information about Boehringer Ingelheim can be found on www.boehringer-ingelheim.com or in our annual report: http://annualreport.boehringer-ingelheim.com.
