The countdown to 2017 began for many producers back in 2015 when it was announced that new regulations limiting the use of antibiotics, called the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD), would go into effect Jan. 1, 2017. Since then, many questions have been top of mind for producers and feed suppliers: Do I need a VFD for my feed? Is there anything I need to change? How do I get prepared for the new regulations? Dr. Chris Rademacher, senior clinician at Iowa State University, explored these questions and more in the webinar “The VFD. What does it mean for me?”

“One of my jobs in extension is to work with and educate how producers get programs implemented,” said Rademacher when opening the webinar. “This is probably one of the bigger ones we have had from a regulatory standpoint in my 20 years in professional practice…the focus now is to help get producers, veterinarians and feed suppliers ready for these new regulations.”

In the webinar, Rademacher covered the following topics:

• What exactly the Veterinary Feed Directive means
• What changes will have to occur with your feed company
• A list of antibiotics that this new regulation affects
• The necessary actions that producers will need to take as a result of this new regulation

Rademacher emphasized that in order to make sure we get things done right, producers need to be having these conversations with their veterinarians right now. To learn more, click the link below and view the webinar.

http://go.alltech.com/vfd-webinar-signup-pig

As the distance between farmer and consumer closes around the world, we must continually adapt our methods to meet the ever-growing demand for high-quality, safe food. In the webinar, “The Path of Least Resistance,” we took a dive into the world of antibiotics, specifically how they have impacted and will continue to impact the agriculture industry. The key speaker, Dr. Richard Murphy, explained why we should worry about antibiotic resistance, where we are now with restrictions on antibiotics in livestock health and what opportunities exist for your operations.

Our three key takeaways were:

1. Worldwide, scientific evidence indicates an overall decline in the total stock of antibiotic effectiveness; resistance to all first-line and last-resort antibiotics is rising.
2. The livestock and poultry industries are not only facing increasing scrutiny from regulatory bodies such as the FDA and EFSA, but, worldwide, meat processors are starting to demand change.
3. Alternative growth promotion strategies are available that utilize strategic nutritional management practices as part of an antibiotic-free strategy for animal production.

To view the webinar and get the full story behind the takeaways, click on the button below:

Like anything new or different, antibiotic-free production comes with its own challenges. And, these challenges make up many of the reasons why a lot of farmers currently don’t produce animals fully antibiotic-free. On top of this, today’s producer has the difficult proposition of producing more with less to meet the demands of a growing global population. How then can they reach that goal without the enhanced  production available through antibiotic use? 

Typical antibiotic-free livestock production challenges

Although they may vary by the environment, management methods and location, below are just some of the risks pig and poultry producers have to prepare for in antibiotic-free production  systems:

Pig challenges

• Poor gut integrity, leading to increased vulnerability to feed contaminants.

• Increased variability and days to market.

• Reduced water intake.

• Reduced feed consumption.

• Susceptibility to stress.

• Increased risk of exposure to bacteria/pathogens.

• Increased treatment costs.

• Increased post-weaning diarrhea.

• Increased post-weaning mortality.

Poultry challenges

• Day-old chick health.

• Bacterial load in the gastrointestinal tract and the litter.

• 7-10 day-old mortality.

• Uniformity.

• Coccidiosis control.

• Therapeutic interventions.

• Feed passage and weight gain.

Ultimately, all these potential issues can add up to extra costs for the producer. To avoid this, it is important to focus on a couple key areas: biosecurity and nutrition.

Biosecurity in antibiotic-free production

Effective biosecurity can not only help producers manage disease challenges, but also prevent the increased risks of many of the issues listed above. Required measures may include  changes to animal flow, increased focus on housing and transportation cleanliness, as well as heightened securities on those entering the facilities, whether that be a worker from another farm or a small rodent visitor; it is important protect the animals from the risk of exposure.

Nutrition in antibiotic-free production

To be truly effective, it can’t be a silver bullet approach. With antibiotics reduced or removed, the front line of defense may be nutrition, but that is just the start. A combination of strategies has to be put into effect. By powering nutrition with technologies designed to support the animals’ immune and digestive systems, and by implementing a full program focused on maintaining proper health, producers give their operations the best chance for a sustainable and profitable future.

Some producers have been ahead of the trend, and have been practicing antibiotic-free production for many years.

“When we accepted the challenge to go antibiotic-free from birth to market a few years ago, it proved to be a real challenge,” said Everett Forkner of Forkner Family Farms in Richards, Missouri. “But with the addition of nutritional innovations, we have not only been able to meet the challenge, we are producing more efficiently than when we began.”

Each farm is different, requiring each nutritional program to be tailored to meet the needs of the animals and their environment for a truly effective antibiotic-free approach.

When asked what some of the keys were to making the transition, Forkner said, “Establishing the right nutritional platform takes time. You have to allow some time for adjustments in order to really see what is best for the animals. And for us as a livestock breeder, it has also been about selecting superior animals and genetic lines that have more natural health and stronger immune systems. On top of this, a major component for us has been building this into a comprehensive immunization program while enhancing our management procedures. This combination has been what has helped us go multiple years and generations of genetic selection with no antibiotic support.”

Due to the Veterinary Feed Directive, we will see more and more U.S. producers focusing on antibiotic-free production. And with nearly 50 countries having some form of antibiotic restrictions, it is a global trend that will continue to grow. Alltech has been helping producers nourish the world for more than 35 years, while striving to ensure they remain sustainable and profitable.

To learn how Alltech is helping producers become profitable even without antibiotics or to see what program would be right for you, call your local representative or visit us at Alltech.com/antibiotic-free.