Handling and storing medicines on beef and dairy farms

Abstract

Veterinary medicines that are stored on the majority of UK farms include antimicrobials, anthelmintics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and vaccines. All prescription veterinary medicines have storage requirements as directed on the datasheet or summary of product characteristics (SPC) and there are also specific instructions for how, when and where medicines should be administered. Vaccines often have storage and handling instructions on the SPC in addition to those applied to other medications; most also require maintenance of the ‘cold chain’ consistently between 2 and 8°C and have short shelf lives (usually hours) once bottles have been broached. This article highlights areas where the on-farm handling and storage of medicines (particularly vaccines) could be improved and provides suggestions for how veterinary practices can support clients to ensure that medicines are used to their maximum benefit.

Engagement of Aotearoa New Zealand Dairy farmers with the Restricted Veterinary Medicine process: implications for One Health and antimicrobial resistance – A pilot study.

“…These ndings are different to those of Cresswell et al (2019) who found over 27% of farmers administered antibiotics via incorrect routes, although the reasoning behind these difference cannot be con rmed the importance of the RVM in providing an annual refresher in medicine administration cannot be overlooked. Interestingly, although none of the farmers interviewed in this study knew the full rationale behind application methods, all were able to make reference to why it had to be done a speci c way, moreover all farmers expressed the importance of a dose rate again a difference found to those of (Cresswell et al, 2019).…”