The Process May Be New, But The Idea Is The Same - Observations From NCBA's Chief Vet On VFD

Feb 23, 2017

It has now been more than 50 days since the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) took effect at the beginning of this year. Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays caught up with Chief Veterinarian for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Dr. Kathy Simmons recently for her take on the situation. According to her observations, the transition seems to be going fairly well thus far.

“Certainly, it’s been a change in how we obtain antimicrobial agents in feed,” she said, referring to the Food & Drug Administration’s industry guidelines #209 and #213. “The importance of having a working relationship with a veterinarian, a familiarity of the veterinarian with your herd and the ability to prescribe for that herd, is essential.”

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Video: WARNING! Rough Start To Breeding Season!!

WARNING! Sheep Breeding Season Begins With A Bang! Breeding season is officially underway at Ewetopia Farms, but it didn’t exactly start the way we planned!

This vlog begins with us sorting through our rams to find the perfect match for a customer’s breeding program. What should have been routine quickly turned dangerous when one of our more nervous rams panicked. In seconds, Arnie’s knee was injured, and then I was slammed hard onto the concrete floor — both of us taken down by one ram!

Thankfully, it was just bruises, but it’s a reminder of how unpredictable and powerful mature rams can be. Once we recovered, it was time to get back to the real work — the start of breeding season.

We sorted the ewes into four breeding groups (two Suffolk and two Dorset), checking parentage as they ran through the chute, deworming those that needed it, and setting aside thinner ewes for session two of breeding season in a month’s time.This staggered approach keeps lambing organized and prevents overcrowding in the barns.

From rogue rams to the excitement of new breeding groups, this episode is full of action. Stay tuned for the next vlog, where we’ll share how we chose the rams for each group!