The Rural Voice, 2001-02, Page 38Only option to
license is making
unmedicated feed
When the new licensing program
for manufacturers of medicated feed
comes in. farmers will only have the
options of getting a license, buying
whole medicated feeds or making
their own feed without medications.
That was the message delivered
by Ron Lackey, OMAFRA specialist
in feed ingredients and by-product
feeding when he spoke to Beef Day
at Grey -Bruce Farmers' Week,
January 3.
Lackey said the controversial new
controls, now expected to come into
place for on-farm feed manufacturers
by December 31. 2002, are designed
to meet concerns about misuse of
medications by farmers. On one
hand. there are fears farmers may
harm an animal through overdosing
or that feed medications will leave
residue in market animals. On the
other is the fear that if farmers don't
use medications at a high enough
dosage, some bacteria may not be
killed and may develop resistance to
drugs.
Under new rules, no-one will be
able to purchase medicated feed for
the purpose of further mixing unless
they have a license. It means farmers
can either mix unmedicated feeds or
they'll have to buy their medicated
feed already manufactured.
Those wanting to produce
medicated feeds will have to apply to
the Canadian Food Inspection
Agency and pay an application fee.
Applicants will have to provide
results of verification tests for their
scale and mixing equipment. There
will be an inspection of facilities
before the license is approved.
Even after a license is issued, for a
three-year period, a manufacturer
will have to demonstrate the accuracy
of all scales and mixing equipment at
least once a year. The operator must
have written procedures on how
employees will maintain the accuracy
of the equipment and for storage of
the medicating ingredients. There
must be a written plan of how the
feed will be manufactured, especially
34 THE RURAL VOICE
News
the sequence of production designed
to flush the remainder of medicated
feeds out of the milling equipment
before non -medicated feeds are
made.
Records for purchase. quantities
used and inventory of medications
will be required. At least four feed
samples a year will need to be
submitted to prove the accuracy of
the mixing unit. It's not clear who
will pay for the analysis which could
cost $70 a sample.
The definition of a medicated
ingredient includes:
1. Medications that treat disease in
animals
2. Medications that promote growth
or the efficient use of animal feed
3. An additive that affects the
structure or any function of the body
df an animal.
Lackey said producers can start
examining their operations now to
see how the regulations will affect
them. What kind of feed medication
do you use — concentrated or
diluted? Currently the deadline for
licensing for the use of concentrated
medications is June 30, 2002 while
the deadline for diluted forms is
December 31, 2002 (though he
suggested these may be delayed
because so many issues are
unresolved).
Farmers should look at the
condition of their mixing equipment
and scale and see if they'll be able to
meet the accuracy requirements.
They should look at their ability to
keep records, such as a good
computer.
Take a look at alternatives, he
suggested. Preventative methods
such as vaccination will reduce the
need for medications. More natural
stimulants to the cattle beast's
digestive system can help avoid the
need for growth promotants. Try to
be positive and creative, he urged.
Lackey admitted it may be hard
for farmers to recoup the extra costs
that are going to be required to meet
the new regulations but said the issue
is crucial to the beef industry.
"We're in a global market so if
something happens to our product,
the consumer has lots of alternatives
from other countries," he said.°
Stan Eby asks
co-operation in
tagging program
Stan Eby of Kincardine, president
of the Ontario Cattlemen's
Association, asked for co-operation
from fellow beet producers for the
Canadian Cattle Identification
program when he spoke to Beef Day
at Grey -Bruce Farmers' Week in
Elmwood. January 3.
Eby admitted there would be bugs
putting the system in place but said
"It's for the benefit of our industry".
The new tagging system which
will come into place July I for all
cattle going to slaughter and will be
enforced with fines after July 1,
2002, will allow faster trace -back if
there is any problem with serious
disease, Eby said. Currently if an
animal is found with a serious
disease at a slaughter plant, the trace
can only begin with the last known
owner. The tags, which are put in
place by the farm of origin and
registered in that name, will allow
tracing the animal from both ends,
speeding the process of locating all
animals which may have come in
contact with the infected animal.
Europe has a passport system so
every time cattle change hands, the
change is recorded, Eby said, but this
is a very expensive system.
Only the CFIA will have access to
the tag records of ownership, Eby
said, and then only if one of 13
reportable diseases is encountered.
One cattleman complained about
the wide variety of colours of tags
being used and the fact that if a
backgrounder or feedlot owner
bought cattle from various herds they
might end up with a rainbow of
colours.
Eby agreed about the problem but
said compromises had to be made to
get people to agree to put the
program into place.
"I think as we move along we'll
see the radio frequency tags become
the tag of choice," he said. "The
future may be only five years down
the road." Already such tags had
dropped in price from $12US each to
$2US each, he said.°