QUALITY
ASSURANCE
FOR
PRODUCERS
QA and OFFSP for food-animal production systems were seen as a valuable means of
assuring appropriate use of antibiotics at the farm level. Participating veterinarians saw
opportunities for their own engagement in these programs to enhance their effectiveness
in ensuring appropriate antibiotic use at the farm level.
Existing QA1 programs in some species were seen to be relatively effective, with the
Canadian Quality Milk (CQM) Program mentioned as an excellent example. Other species
lacked mandatory involvement and effective implementation. In general, QA programs
were seen as needing additional elements for maximum effectiveness. These additional
elements include mandatory involvement, required training, drug and treatment logs,
incentives and penalties (including incentives for participation in QA and penalties for
high antibiotic use), protocols and SOPs, an annual audit system by an independent third
party with improved surveillance of antibiotic use. Mandatory participation of producers
in the QA program is essential for meaningful success.
Participating veterinarians felt that a critically important component of the appropriate
use of antibiotics was to have informed producers. This would allow for meaningful
dialogue and understanding, with a team approach by the producer and the veterinarian
to optimize antibiotic use on farms.
Veterinarians felt that a critically
important component of the
appropriate use of antibiotics
was to have informed producers.
This would allow for meaningful
dialogue and understanding, with
a team approach by the producer
and the veterinarian to optimize
antibiotic use on farms.
There is a suggested action to re-visit, with the intention to re-introduce, a version of the
livestock medicines education courses for food animal producers. It was emphasized that
these courses could aim to achieve an understanding of the rationale for the controlled
availability of antibiotics (such as the need for a veterinary prescription and a VCPR),
appropriate storage and use of prescribed antibiotics, proper record keeping, early
identification of sick animals, approaches to improve the response to first treatment, ways
to decrease the mass treatment with antibiotics, the reasons for extra label drug use,
drug choices and rationale, and the consequences of misuse of antibiotics.
Participating veterinarians felt that they could have a pivotal role in designing and
delivering these courses. Design of the courses would include conducting pilot
projects, evaluating compliance and ensuring the program is credible and practical.
A key component of the QA programs would be required training on antibiotic use. In
addition, successful completion of the training on a periodic basis would be required for
producers to be able to purchase and use antibiotics in their operations.
An essential component of QA is the development and implementation of protocols
and SOPs. While the term protocol was understood to refer to a plan for treatment
or prevention of a condition, an SOP is the detailed written, farm-specific document
outlining a given protocol, to achieve uniformity of procedures.
It was suggested that all food animal production sectors be mandated to develop
treatment protocols for common diseases in consultation with veterinarians. These
protocols could include appropriate product storage conditions, route(s) of
administration, dosages, and withdrawal periods. As part of these protocols, producerfriendly flowcharts and decision trees to aid in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention
of the common diseases, as well as vaccination protocols, could be created and
introduced. A standardized approach to the requirements of a protocol could be used
across the livestock sectors.
Participating veterinarians felt there is a need to work in conjunction with producers
to develop and implement farm-specific SOPs regarding the appropriate use of
antibiotics. These SOPs could include the requirement to record all treatments as a
critical component of best management practices. Ongoing monitoring of adherence to
protocols and SOPs is a critical component of a producer QA program.
1
College of Veterinarians of Ontario
For the purposes of this discussion, QA will include OFFSP.
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