U.S. Pork Sector Adjusts Smoothly to Antibiotic Use Regulation Changes

Jun 11, 2018

The Chief Veterinarian with the National Pork Producer's Council says the U.S. pork sector has adapted well to changes in regulations governing the acquisition and use of antibiotics in livestock production.

Effective January 1, 2017 all labels for approval of growth promotion for medically important antibiotics were discontinued for food animals and the remaining therapeutic uses for disease treatment, control and prevention came under veterinary oversight.

Dr. Liz Wagstrom, the Chief Veterinarian with the National Pork Producer's Council, says the sector had three years to prepare for the changes, producers and veterinarians worked closely with the Food and Drug Administration as the rules were written and an effort was made to determine what would work for practicing veterinarians and the feed mills so everyone was very well prepared.

Dr. Liz Wagstrom-National Pork Producer's Council:

I think that the adjustment varied by the type of producer you are.

If you are a system that has company veterinarians it was just a matter of adjusting some of your protocols but you had veterinarians on staff, you had the infrastructure in place to be able to do this.

For some of the smaller independent producers it took a lot more time with their veterinarian to make sure that they had their communication channels set up.

Source : Farmscape

Video: You Be The Judge: Evaluating 8 Breeding Rams!

It's time for some honest feedback here at Ewetopia Farms! Today, we’re showing you all eight rams we used for breeding this year. Instead of just presenting them, we thought it would be fun to create a “Ram Report Card” — where we point out both their strengths and areas for improvement.

But here’s the twist: you be the judge! In the comments, let us know what you like about each ram and what you think could be improved. No ram is ever perfect, but every one of them brings something valuable to the flock. By sharing perspectives, we all learn more about what to look for in good breeding stock.

At Ewetopia Farms, we raise registered Suffolk and Polled Dorset sheep, focusing on high-quality genetics, structure, and friendly temperaments. Evaluating breeding rams is part of the bigger picture of building stronger flocks — and we’re excited to share the process with you.

If you enjoy seeing how we evaluate our animals, follow along by subscribing to our channel. We share daily insights into the joys and challenges of sheep farming here in Canada.