Tips For Using Antibiotics
Antibiotics are, of course, only one type of the medications that you may use to treat sheep. However, with recent concerns regarding the use of antibiotics for livestock production, it is important keep in mind how and when to use this type of medication.
Using antibiotics responsibly helps maintain the effectiveness of these important drugs and helps producers save on medication costs. Some basic rules when using antibiotics are listed below:
1. As a producer, know what diseases are prevalent at particular production stages or seasons. Consult your veterinarian if you are uncertain about the diagnosis.
2. Recognize the limitations of antibiotics. Remember that some bacteria are only sensitive to certain antibiotics, and that antibiotics are not effective against diseases caused by viruses. An antibiotic will not remove scar tissue from lungs, and there is no advantage in treating some animals with persistent respiratory problems.
3. Take the sheep’s temperature. If the temperature is normal (101-103°F), the cause of the disorder is not likely to be due to an infection and antibiotics will generally not be effective.
4. Monitor animals regularly and treat early. Infections are more difficult to treat once they are well established.
5. Follow label or veterinarian instructions regarding dosage and length of treatment. Do not cut the treatment time short even if the animal appears to have recovered. Although it may seem that you will save a dose or two of antibiotic by decreasing the treatment time, in the long run you could be creating even larger problems. The antibiotics may have only had time to curb the bacteria growth, but not completely eliminate the population. The remaining bacteria have a good chance of surviving and becoming resistant to the antibiotic.
6. Identify animals that have been treated. Ensure that everyone that works on the farm understands the identification system and is recording each time medication is administered.
7. Vary antibiotics if the one you are using is not effective after the first round of treatment. Maintain records regarding which medication has been effective in the past.
8. Take care of drugs and store according to label recommendations (e.g. refrigerate, store out of direct light etc.). Watch expiry dates and do not use outdated drugs. Medications that are old or not stored correctly may be less effective at eliminating all of the bacteria (possibly leading to resistance), and in some cases may become toxic to the animal you are treating.
9. Antibiotic residue in meat and milk is a major food safety concern. Maintain records regarding the withdrawal dates of all medications administered to animals. Double-check your records before shipping animals for slaughter. If you accidentally ship animals that have not met the withdrawal dates, notify the buyer as soon as possible.
10. Prevent problems. Do not rely on antibiotics to replace good management. Provide sheep with a dry, clean environment, ample feed and have a biosecurity plan in place.
