CVO
PROJECT
OVERVIEW
This CVO Project comprises initial objectives shaped by four major components: a
Background Review, a Survey of food-producing animal veterinarians, Facilitated
Discussions with species-oriented groups of food-producing animal veterinarians
and Consultation with food-producing animal veterinarians and stakeholders. These
components were designed to accomplish the original objectives of the CVO Project
which were to achieve:
•
an understanding of the current antimicrobial prescribing practises of food animal
veterinarians in Ontario, analyzed against the recommended antimicrobial prudent
use protocol (CVMA guidelines),
•
the identification of key challenges for veterinarians in prescribing antimicrobials to
food animals using the national antimicrobial prudent use protocol, and
•
a set of recommendations aimed at creating food animal antimicrobial prescription
alignment within the profession in Ontario and setting the stage for antimicrobial
stewardship at the practice and system level.
During the course of this study, the objectives were further informed by the Advisory
Group.
The project comprises four major
components:
Background Review
A Survey of Veterinarians
Facilitated Discussions with
Species-Oriented Groups of
Veterinarians
Consultation with Veterinarians
and Stakeholders
The CVO Background Review includes a review of selected publications, legislation and
guidelines related to the use of antimicrobial pharmaceuticals in food-producing animal
production systems over approximately a 10-year period, as of July 2014, with particular
emphasis on the Canadian context.
The CVO Background Review identified areas for particular focus related to the use of
antibiotics in food-producing animals. The Review includes a discussion of the possibility
of a future where antibiotics have reduced or no effectiveness due to resistance. This
Review demonstrated that the majority of food-producing animals fall into six commodity
groups, each of which have very distinct and separate concerns related to the use of
antibiotics. Therefore, for the purposes of this CVO Project, “food-producing animals”
included beef cattle, dairy cattle, poultry, sheep/goats, swine and veal calves and did
not include horses, fish or rabbits or any other animals that are raised for food. The term
“antibiotic” was used throughout the CVO Project to avoid pot