Antibiotic Crisis

Antibiotic Crisis

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
National Institute for Animal Agriculture and Merck Animal Health, Veterinarian Bob Smith and associates in their practice oversee health programs for more than one million cattle in multiple states across the high plains and western region of the country. Antibiotics are an important management tool in fighting infection, he says — and preserving that is everyone’s responsibility.

For beef cattle, those management systems could include fence-line weaning, which creates less stress for calves and, therefore, less disease in the postweaning period. Smith says proper nutrition and preconditioning are also key steps to disease prevention. In the future, Smith sees feedyards demanding more preconditioned calves that are less likely to become sick. And, with imminent pressures from consumers and national beef chains, he suggests producers may see more change in how they’re able to administer antibiotics

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