Agricultural News
NCBA Chief Vet Dr. Kathy Simmons Explains the Necessity of Responsible Antimicrobial Stewardship
Fri, 15 Mar 2019 11:35:28 CDT
It is an ongoing struggle for the beef industry when it comes to making sure consumers understand that taking good care of livestock includes the judicious use of antimicrobial drugs. Chief Veterinary Officer of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association Dr. Kathy Simmons talked recently with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays about all that the industry has done over the years and continues to do in order to protect and keep producers' ability to use these necessary tools that allow them to produce the world's safest supply of beef.
"For us in the cattle industry, cattle health and animal welfare are our No. 1 priorities and antimicrobial drugs are on tool we use in conjunction with good management practices and disease prevention to keep cattle healthy," she said. "So, it's important that antimicrobials are available for use for the prevention, control and treatment of disease and using these medicines in connection with our veterinarians."
Simmons says the biggest hurdle in all this, is in educating both the consumer on why these drugs are necessary and the producer on how to practice good stewardship when using them in a judicious manner. As part of that effort, NCBA has provided guidelines that have been a part of the industry's Beef Quality Assurance program for some time, that help train producers on the appropriate and responsible care of their livestock. As the industry continues to work towards improving its own methods to achieve more judicious use of antibiotics, Simmons says the important thing moving forward is for producers simply take a socially responsible approach to their herd health management.
"The big thing is education and since the 1980s, we've had a Beef Quality Assurance program that deals specifically with that," she said. "And, we've shown that our BQA certifications are on the increase."
Listen to Simmons and Hays discuss the necessity of judicious use when it comes to antimicrobial drugs in the livestock industry, on today's Beef Buzz - brought to you by the American Angus Association. America's breed.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
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