by Ben Nuelle LISTEN: world-of-agriculture-10-10-16
The last few years, livestock antibiotics have been highly criticized because of antibiotic resistance. Dr. Dave Pyburn is a veterinarian at the National Pork Board.
Pyburn says the pork board has been researching antibiotic alternatives the last few years.
?Antibiotics have become a big topic for all of us in the last two or three years but the pork board has been working on research for this since 2000. Since 2000, they have put checkoff dollars of $6 million plus into antibiotic resistance research.?
Pyburn says they have really made an effort to look at how antibiotics are used therapeutically with animals.
?What?s the best approach to that? Also, looking at alternatives to those antibiotics. Our producers want to reduce the need to use those antibiotics and some alternatives can help us with that.?
Pyburn also says changes are coming January 1st.
?Come January 1, labels will change on feed and water-grade medications. Water-grade medications, or applied through the water, will have to be done on a prescription from the producer?s veterinarian. The Feed-grade medications will have to be done on a Veterinary Feed Directive which is like a prescription for the use of antibiotics for feed.?
FULL INTERVIEW: Dr. Dave Pyburn – National Pork Board
