Bobby Calves and Animal Remedies, Including Dry Cow Therapy

Introduction

Residues in bobby calf veal threaten trade in this product, especially to the USA. Veterinarians should take every reasonable action to ensure that no residues attributable to animal remedies are present in bobby calves at slaughter and should retain evidence that they have done so.

Guidelines

1. Calves treated directly with antimicrobials must not be submitted for slaughter as bobby calves.
2. If a pregnant cow has been treated with a dry cow antimicrobial product or other animal remedy and calves before the meat withholding period has elapsed, then the calf must not be submitted for slaughter as a bobby calf until the cow’s meat withholding period has elapsed. Until sent for slaughter, the bobby calf must be fed on ‘milk suitable for bobby calves’. In the case of a calf from a cow treated with dry cow antimicrobial, it must be fed on ‘milk suitable for bobby calves’ (see below) for a period of 7 days before slaughter.
3. If a pregnant cow has been treated with a dry cow antimicrobial product and calves after the meat withholding period but within the ‘treatment to calving interval’ of the milk withholding period (see below), then the calf must not be submitted for slaughter until it has been fed ‘milk suitable for bobby calves’ (see below) for a period of 7 days.
4. Dry cow intramammary products have  milk withholding periods consisting of two components:
   1. a period following treatment (28 – 49 days), the ‘treatment to calving interval’; plus
   2. 8 milkings following calving, ‘the colostrum period’.

Providing the cow has calved outside the ‘treatment to calving interval’, milk from the first 8 milkings after calving can be fed to bobby calves.

Note:

‘Milk suitable for bobby calves’ is:

• colostrum or milk from cows that have not been treated in the current season with an animal remedy; or
• colostrum or milk from cows treated with dry cow antimicrobials that have calved outside the milk (‘treatment to calving interval’) WHP; or
• milk from cows treated with any animal remedy other than dry cow antimicrobial where that milk is taken outside the product label milk withholding period.

Recommendations to veterinarians

• Ensure a veterinary consultation before any antimicrobial is dispensed.
• Ensure no antimicrobials dispensed are intended for bobby calves.
• Advise the farmer in writing that no calf treated with an antimicrobial may be subsequently slaughtered as a bobby calf.
• Ensure the client understands the issues and risks, and signs a form acknowledging that they understand – preferably use the NZVA approved form.
• Provide an information leaflet that contains the same message with every prescription so that this can be read by the client and workers on the farm.
• Where appropriate, ensure that animal remedies carry a label stating that they are not for use in bobby calves.
• Ensure the farmer is aware of the implications and requirements of direct exposure of calves to antimicrobials.

NZVA-approved calf antibiotic, sulfonamide and animal remedies handouts and record sheets are available from the NZVA office.

References

http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/acvm/subject/vet/index.htm

See also NZVA Guidelines for the Judicious Use of Antimicrobials (B2.1.4)

Policy Files: 

5j - Bobby Calves & Animal Remedies incl DCT - 6Nov08.pdf