Antibiotics spotlighted in Washington

Animal agriculture has once again taken the stage in Washington. According to the New York Times, Obama administration officials recently announced that they will seek a ban on routine use of seven classes of antibiotics on farm animals. While the ban would not stop the use of antibiotics completely, it would stop the use of antibiotics within those classes without the guidance of a veterinarian. Not surprisingly, most farm animal groups oppose the proposed legislation. However, while defending our current practices is needed, a more proactive approach to the criticism might be warranted, as well. A renewed commitment to educating ourselves as producers about antibiotics could be just what consumers are looking for.

In this month’s issue of the Journal of Dairy Science, a research project regarding bovine veterinarian’s knowledge, beliefs, and practices regarding antibiotic resistance on Ohio dairy farms was published. While the research was limited to Ohio bovine veterinarians and had a goal of discussing antibiotics' impact on animal rather than human health, it was clear that those surveyed believed they could be doing a better job of communicating improved protocols. Of the small group that was surveyed, only 23 percent reported that they consistently provided customers with treatment protocols each time antibiotics were prescribed. More than 75 percent of those surveyed believed that one-on-one meetings and handouts including good management practices, diagnosis descriptions, and appropriate dosages of antibiotics would be effective ways to educate clients.