The Milk and Dairy Beef Drug Residue Prevention Manual is a concise review of appropriate antibiotic use in dairy animals.

The manual is a quick resource to review those antibiotics approved for dairy animals, and also can be used as an educational tool for farm managers as they develop their on-farm best management practices necessary to avoid milk and meat residues.

Additions to the 2012 version include a section on meat drug residue testing, an expanded list of products and risk factors for residues, as well as an updated drug and test kit list. The 2012 manual includes a certificate of participation that can be signed by a producer and their veterinarian to demonstrate their commitment to proper use of antibiotics on the dairy.

“The use of antibiotics in livestock is undergoing increased scrutiny, and this manual will help ensure that veterinary treatments are used appropriately,” said Jerry Kozak, President and CEO of NMPF.

The dairy industry is committed to producing safe, abundant, and affordable milk and dairy beef of the highest quality. Healthy animals help make for safe food and disease prevention is the key to keeping cows healthy.

The National Dairy FARM Programme was created by NMPF to demonstrate and verify that US milk producers are committed to providing the highest levels of quality assurance including animal care, residue prevention, and other on-farm practices.

The Residue Prevention manual was sponsored by Charm Sciences, IDEXX, and Pfizer Animal Health. No check-off finds were used in the development and distribution of this manual.

For more information on the National Dairy FARM Programme, contact Betsy Flores at (703) 243-6111 or log on to www.nationaldairyfarm.com.

The residue prevention manual can be found online at www.nationaldairyfarm.com.