Guidance

Code of Practice on the responsible use of animal medicines on the farm

Published 19 December 2014

Introduction

This Code of Practice has been developed by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) with the aim of providing a reference point for keepers of livestock in respect of the responsible use of animal medicines. It is important that medicines are used responsibly and that the advice provided below is followed.

This Code is intended as a general guide and should not be treated as a complete or authoritative statement of the law on any particular case.

Animal Medicines

Animal medicines play an important role in the control and prevention of disease and animal suffering but have the potential to cause harm if not used properly. In the UK, consumers have long enjoyed the benefits of rigorous systems designed to protect them from harmful residues of medicines in their food. These include statutory controls on the authorisation, distribution and use of medicines.

Antibiotics are vital medicines in both human and animal health. Antibiotic resistance is a serious concern and the responsible use of antibiotics in all sectors, including livestock production, is needed to help tackle the problem.

Antibiotics should not be used as a substitute for good farm management, which helps prevent disease and reduce the need for medicines. The habitual use of antibiotics to prevent disease is not a responsible use of these important medicines.

Authorisation of animal medicines

The VMD is responsible for the authorisation and control of the manufacture and marketing of animal medicines, and also responsible for surveillance of antibiotic sales, antibiotic resistance in bacteria of veterinary origin and for residues of animal medicines in meat and other animal products. Results of these surveillance programmes are published annually on GOV.UK

Antibiotic resistance is the ability of bacteria that are usually sensitive to a type of antibiotic to become resistant to it.

Diagnosis and prevention of disease

It is the role of your vet to ensure that any animal diseases are properly diagnosed and the correct treatment prescribed. Your vet will also provide vital input into the design of preventive health programmes that help to minimise the occurrence of disease, such as, Flock or Herd Health Plans.

You should therefore consult your vet when you notice symptoms of ill health or poor performance in your livestock, when a treatment prescription for your animals may be needed, or when you need to design or modify a preventative disease programme.

Distribution Categories of animal medicines

Once a disease has been diagnosed and treatment prescribed or a preventive programme designed, it may be necessary to obtain an animal medicine. All animal medicines in the UK are assigned one of four distribution categories:

Prescription Only Medicines - Veterinarian (POM-V)

An animal medicine classified as a POM-V may only be supplied once it has been prescribed by a veterinary surgeon following a clinical assessment of the animal (or group of animals) which must be under the care of the prescribing vet. All products that contain an antibiotic, including for in-feed use, are classified as POM-V.

POM-V products may only be supplied in accordance with a written prescription issued by a veterinary surgeon.

Prescription Only Medicines – Veterinarian, Pharmacist, Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) (POM-VPS)

An animal medicine classified as POM-VPS may only be prescribed by a registered veterinary surgeon, pharmacist or Suitably Qualified Person (SQP). An SQP is a person who is trained and registered to be able to sell a limited range of animal medicines and often works from a pet shop, saddlery or in agricultural merchant’s premises. A clinical assessment of the animal(s) is not a prerequisite when prescribing this category of animal medicine and the animal does not have to be under the care of the prescriber.

The person prescribing, however, must be satisfied that the person administering the medicine has the competence to do so safely and that the medicine is intended for its authorised use. The prescriber must provide advice on how to use the product, making specific reference to any warnings or contra-indications relevant to the medicine.

Non-Food Animal – Veterinarian, Pharmacist, SQP (NFA-VPS)

An animal medicine classified as NFA-VPS may only be supplied by a registered veterinary surgeon, pharmacist or SQP.

As with POM-VPS medicines, a clinical assessment of the animal(s) is not a prerequisite for supply of this category. The supplier, however, must be satisfied that the person administering the medicine has the competence to do so safely and the medicine is intended for its authorised use.

The supplier must also provide advice related to any warnings or contra-indications relevant to it and also advise on how the product has to be administered.

Authorised Veterinary Medicine – General Sales List (AVM-GSL)

An animal medicine classified as an AVM-GSL may be supplied by any retailer as there are no restrictions on its retail supply.

Safe use of animal medicines on farm

Ultimately, as a farmer, you are responsible for ensuring that animal medicines are used in a safe, responsible and effective way in accordance with labelling instructions and any advice given by a vet, pharmacist or SQP.

Plan ahead to prevent disease

Prevention is the best policy. Work with your vet to draw up a clear Animal Health Plan to identify the best ways to prevent or treat disease in your animals and to ensure their welfare is fully taken into account. This may require necessary changes to farm management practice, for example improving biosecurity.

Your health plan should include any routine medication that your vet has identified as necessary, including those incorporated in medicated feedingstuffs, and any routine diagnostic investigations that they consider necessary in order to monitor the health status of your animals.

Consult your vet when you encounter animal health problems, including loss in productivity, and to obtain advice on the most appropriate animal medicines available to treat or prevent disease.

A pharmacist or SQP can provide information on the medicines that they can lawfully supply. However, they are not qualified to carry out clinical assessments of animals.

Antibiotic Resistance

Use of antibiotics is a key factor of development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Bacterial infections that are resistant to treatment by antibiotics are increasingly common in human medicine.

There are also cases of bacterial infection in animals that are resistant to antibiotic treatment. In order to conserve the effectiveness of antibiotics in future it is important that wherever and whenever these medicines are used, they are used responsibly:

Use as little as possible

Farms should be effectively managed to minimise the risk of disease developing. Following good husbandry practices, such as good hygiene, good ventilation, effective biosecurity, ensuring animals have access to clean drinking water and good herd health planning (including suitable quarantine of stock and appropriate vaccination strategies), will all help to reduce the disease challenge.

Use as much as necessary

When animals become ill they should be treated with the most appropriate medicine in accordance with the product’s label instructions and those of your vet.

Antibiotics should not be used habitually to prevent disease, or to compensate for poor hygiene or for inadequate husbandry conditions. All antibiotics, including those administered in-feed, must be prescribed by the vet responsible for the animals to which the treatment will be administered.

Further Guidelines and guidance on the responsible use of antimicrobials is available on GOV.UK.

Anthelmintic resistance

Anthelmintics are an important part of effective worm and fluke control in livestock. However, anthelmintic resistance is becoming increasingly widespread and significant in livestock and has associated health, welfare and economic consequences for the livestock sector. Therefore to protect the future effectiveness of anthelmintics it is important that these medicines are used responsibly.

Appropriate management and effective use of diagnostic and forecasting tools, can help reduce reliance on anthelmintics. Where an anthelmintic is required, it is important to administer the right product at the right time, and ensure accurate administration, to reduce the likelihood of resistance development.

The pan-industry groups Sustainable Control Of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) and Control Of Worms Sustainably (COWS) produce and disseminate information to promote responsible use of anthelmintics for the sustainable control of parasites in livestock.

Buy from authorised sources

Only buy UK authorised veterinary medicines from companies that are authorised to supply those products.

Sales from other sources are illegal and the medicines supplied may not be safe or effective and could harm your animals or the consumer.

Only buy and use authorised animal medicines. It is an offence to use or be in possession of unauthorised products unless they have been legally prescribed and supplied for your animals by your vet.

Medicated animal feed will also be suitably labelled. The label should provide detailed information on the authorised animal medicine(s) incorporated within.

If you have any doubts over a medicine being genuine, or suspect anyone of illegal supply or sales practices, you should contact the Enforcement Team at the VMD enforcement@vmd.gov.uk. The information you provide will be treated in confidence.

Any medicine that remains following completion of the prescribed course of treatment should be disposed of safely (see the Dispose of unused medicines safely section).

There should be no stockpiling of medicines on the farm. Remember that it is illegal to sell or pass on medicines to anyone else unless you are authorised to do so.

You shouldn’t use any animal medicine that has gone past its expiry date, including its ‘use by’ date once opened. Using out of date medicines or medicines that have gone beyond their broach date may be ineffective or even be harmful to the animal or, in the case of an antibiotic or anthelmintic, lead to resistance.

If you buy feed supplements to mix on your own premises you must be registered with the VMD, or the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Northern Ireland.

If you buy sheep dip you will need to satisfy the RQP that you or an employee holds an appropriate Certificate of Competence or NPTC Level 2 award in the Safe Use of Sheep Dip.

Keep proper records

Keep a full record of all medicines you buy and those used on your animals. It is a legal requirement to keep a record of all medicines administered to food-producing animals, regardless of their distribution category, including those administered by your vet or in-feed.

Further information on record keeping requirements

There are publications available in which to record medicines administered to animals by farmers and other keepers of animals, such as by:

• Animal Health Distributors Association (AHDA)
• The Pig Veterinary Society
• The Fish Health Inspectorate
• The National Bee Unit Bee

When you buy an animal medicine you must record the:

• name of the product
• batch number
• date of acquisition
• quantity acquired
• name and address of the supplier

When you administer any medicine to a food producing animal you must also record the:

• name of the product
• date of administration
• quantity administered
• withdrawal period
• identification of the animals treated

Because of the legal requirements which fall on the food industry to avoid residues of animal medicines in human food, it is important that that you keep detailed information on the medicines used on your animals. It may therefore be in your commercial interest to also record the:

• dates on which any withdrawal period for meat, milk or any other animal product ended
• date on which the treatment finished
• name of the person who administered the animal medicine
• expiry dates of any products used

You must keep all records for at least five years. This is the minimum period required by law.

You should also make these records available for official inspection by:

• officers from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra)
• officers from the local authority
• in Northern Ireland an officer authorised by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA)

Your vet may also wish to see these records.

Administer medicines properly

Medicines should be handled and administered only by someone competent to do so or under their supervision. Your vet will be able to help with training in the right way to administer animal medicines, including injections. Some medicines must be administered only under the direct supervision of a vet or according to a veterinary surgeon’s prescription. Particular care should be taken when handling medicated animal feedingstuffs.

• Avoid the unnecessary use of medicines. Only when you are absolutely sure they are necessary should you go ahead with treatment
• Read instructions carefully, including operator safety instructions, and make sure that you understand them before administering any medicine
• Check all the information that is available, including the label and package leaflet, and/ or ask your supplier

It is important that the correct dose of medicine is used and that it is administered properly. Check the expiry date on the label. Do not use any medicine which is past its expiry date.

The AHDB have produced further information in their publication,

Using medicines responsibly - As little as possible, but as much as necessary

Medicines have a short shelf-life following incorporation into feed. In addition, some medicines have a short shelf-life once the container is opened. Make a note of the date after which the medicated feed or medicine in the opened container should not be used.

Dispose of any out-of-date animal medicine in accordance with the advice given in the Dispose of unused medicines safely section.

Only use medicines in the way in which they are authorised to be used, for example, for the approved species and age of animal, and at the approved dose rate, unless otherwise directed by your vet.

Never use Prescription Only Medicines on animals other than the ones for which they were originally prescribed unless directed by your vet. It is illegal and potentially dangerous to do so.

Always complete the treatment programme. Once a medicine is first used, the full course of treatment must always be completed to minimise the possible development of resistance.

If in any doubt about any aspect of administering any animal medicine, consult your vet.

Sheep Dips

Sheep dip products must be handled by, or under the supervision of, someone who holds an appropriate Certificate of Competence or NPTC Level 2 award in the Safe Use of Sheep Dip.

The holder of the Certificate is responsible for the purchase and safe use of sheep dips.

When purchasing sheep dip, they must satisfy the supplier that they hold the relevant Certificate of Competence. Where the holder of the Certificate requires someone else to purchase the sheep dip on their behalf, they must ensure that the supplier is made aware of this. The supplier must provide the double-sided laminated safety notice specified in the Regulations and the holder of the certificate must ensure that all co-workers are fully aware of the instructions contained in the notice.

When the products are being used, the holder of the certificate does not actually have to handle the products themselves but must be present and supervise those that do.

Sheep dip is highly toxic. Used sheep dips present a particular hazard to the environment. Special care must be taken with their use and disposal can only be done with disposal consent from the relevant Environment Agency or by a contracted sheep dip operator.

No diluted sheep dip, no matter how small the amount, should be allowed to enter watercourses. You may risk prosecution if sheep dip is allowed to pollute any watercourse.

Take proper precautions

Always observe all of the operator safety instructions on the label. It is essential that the advice on the product label and package leaflet is read and followed each time the medicine is used.

For further information on using animal medicines safely, with particular reference to the COSHH Regulations, refer to the HSE Guidance Note - Veterinary Medicines: Safe Use by Farmers and Other Animal Handlers.

Keep a list of emergency telephone numbers at hand. These should include your local doctor, hospital, vet and pharmacist.

Observe withdrawal periods

Make sure everyone on your premises who handles or administers medicines to animals is responsible for ensuring that any withdrawal period is observed.

Strictly observe any withdrawal period stated on the label for the medicine, or indicated by your vet. This is the period between the end of treatment and the slaughter of the animal or the taking of eggs, milk or honey for human consumption.

It is an offence to slaughter for human consumption, or to sell for slaughter for human consumption, any animal that has not completed its withdrawal period.

Remember that if an animal medicine has been used under veterinary guidance in a manner other than that recommended on the label, the appropriate withdrawal period may be affected. Your vet will provide you with information on the withdrawal period in those circumstances.

Store medicines safely

Store medicines in accordance with the instructions on their label.

• Storage temperature can be critical to maintain the safety and efficacy of a medicine
• Light can also damage some medicines. Never leave animal medicines in direct sunlight or allow them to get too hot or to freeze
• If they are being stored in a fridge you should ensure that the fridge temperature is checked regularly and is between 2°C and 8°C
• Where medicated feed is stored on farm, the feed bins should be clearly labelled with a description of the contents and their expiry date
• Make sure that your medicines are stored securely, where possible under lock and key
• Keep medicines in their original containers, clean and out of the reach of children, animals or anyone not supposed to handle them
• Store them separately from non-medicines

Report any adverse events

Report any adverse events to animal medicines that you observe in your animals to your vet, the company who market the product or directly to the VMD using the online reporting form

Adverse events include side effects that occur in your animal, anyone handling or exposed to the product, or to the environment. You should also report cases where it appears that the medicine has not worked (known as lack of efficacy cases).

If you need any assistance or advice on reporting please check the guidance available you can also contact the VMD’s Pharmacovigilance Team by e-mail adverse.events@vmd.gov.uk.

Dispose of unused medicines safely

Never sell or pass on unused medicines to anyone else and do not hoard partly used medicines. Safely dispose of unused or out-of-date medicines and containers and application equipment (including needles to a sharps container) when you finish the treatment for which they were intended.

Separate guidance on the safe disposal of animal medicines is available in the HSE Guidance Note - Veterinary Medicines: Safe Use by Farmers and Other Animal Handlers

Always follow any advice on the label about disposal. Do not dispose of such items with domestic rubbish or pour animal medicines down the drain or toilet unless advised to do so.

Your vet may be able to supply you with containers for their safe disposal. When disposing of animal medicines, other than by treating an animal, the following must be recorded:

• the date of disposal
• the quantity of the product involved
• how and where the product was disposed of

Used sheep dips present a particular hazard to the environment. Special care must be taken with their use and disposal can only be done with disposal consent from the relevant Environment Agency or by a contracted sheep dip operator.

No diluted sheep dip, no matter how small the amount, should be allowed to enter watercourses. You may risk prosecution if sheep dip is allowed to pollute any watercourse.