Pigs Standards
ANIMAL MEDICINES Version 5.1 (modified)
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Key – Those standards which have greater significance (all other standards are normal)
Recommendation – Those which do not affect certification
New – A completely new standard which the member must now adhere to
Revised – A standard that has changed and requires the member to take some different or additional action to before
Upgraded – The standard has been upgraded to a Key standard or from a Recommendation to a full standard
Appendix – Referenced in ‘How you will be measured’. Indicates that additional information is provided in the Appendices, which are available at the end of each section.
PG.AM.1 Key
Only authorised veterinary medicines are used (REVISED)
How you will be measured
PG.AM.1.a
PG.AM.1.b
PG.AM.1.d
PG.AM.2 Key
Veterinary medicines must be used appropriately
How you will be measured
PG.AM.2.a
PG.AM.2.b
PG.AM.2.c
PG.AM.2.2
Prophylactic administration of antibiotics is only permitted in exceptional circumstances (NEW)
How you will be measured
PG.AM.2.2.a
PG.AM.2.2.b
- Rationale for prophylaxis (per prescription)
- Management review (group prophylaxis)
PG.AM.3
Veterinary medicines must only be administered by demonstrably competent persons
How you will be measured
PG.AM.3.a
List of those deemed competent in VHP
PG.AM.3.1
At least one person who is responsible for overseeing use of medicines on the unit has undertaken training and holds a certificate of competence/attendance from training undertaken since January 2018
How you will be measured
PG.AM.3.1.a
- Certificate of competence/attendance
- Training records
PG.AM.4
Veterinary medicines must be stored appropriately
How you will be measured
PG.AM.4.a
PG.AM.4.b
PG.AM.4.c
PG.AM.4.d
PG.AM.4.e
PG.AM.4.f
Refrigerator temperature records
PG.AM.5
Purchase records for all veterinary medicines must be kept
How you will be measured
PG.AM.5.a
PG.AM.5.b
PG.AM.5.c
- Medicine purchase records
- MFSPs (may be held centrally by parent company)
PG.AM.6 Key
Records must be kept of all administered veterinary medicines (paper and/or electronic)
How you will be measured
PG.AM.6.a
PG.AM.6.b
Medicine administration records
PG.AM.7
Veterinary medicines, their containers and administration equipment must be disposed of responsibly
How you will be measured
PG.AM.7.a
PG.AM.7.b
PG.AM.7.c
PG.AM.7.d
PG.AM.7.e
- Medicine disposal records
- Waste transfer note/receipt
PG.AM.8 Key
Total antibiotics* used must be collated and uploaded onto AHDB Pork’s electronic medicine book (eMB).
How you will be measured
PG.AM.8.a
Previous four eMB reports
PG.AM.8.1
Collated antibiotic data must be reviewed at least annually with the designated vet
How you will be measured
PG.AM.8.1.a
Record of review
PG.AM.8.2
Persistent high users of antibiotics* must develop and implement an Antibiotic Reduction Plan, in conjunction with their designated vet
*as defined, and kept under review, by the Pig Health and Welfare Council; indicated on the most recent eMB report.
How you will be measured
PG.AM.8.2.a
PG.AM.8.2.b
PG.AM.8.2.c
- Antibiotic Reduction Plan
- Previous four QVRs
PG.AM.9 Key
Use of HP-CIA antibiotics (i.e. those belonging to Category B “Restrict”, as defined by the European Medicines Agency), must only be as a last resort, under veterinary direction
How you will be measured
PG.AM.9.a
Vet statement
PG.AM.9.1
The vet must at all times prescribe antibiotics in accordance with the Pig Veterinary Society (PVS) Prescribing Principles for Antimicrobials, which reflect RUMA guidelines
How you will be measured
PG.AM.9.1.a
QVRs
PG.AM.9.2
The producer must take ultimate responsibility for correct antibiotic use on the unit
How you will be measured
PG.AM.9.2.a
QVRs
PG.AM.10 Key
Prescribed withdrawal periods must be correct and complied with
How you will be measured
PG.AM.10.a
PG.AM.11
Procedures must be in place to deal appropriately with needles or part needles remaining in livestock
How you will be measured
PG.AM.11.a
PG.AM.11.b
PG.AM.11.c
Broken needle policy
- NOAH Compendium of authorised veterinary medicine datasheets: https://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/
- Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture (RUMA) Alliance: https://www.ruma.org.uk/
- Pig Health & Welfare Council practical guide to responsible use of antibiotics on pig farms: https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/phwc-antimicrobial-usage
- eMB electronic medicine book for pigs: https://emb-pigs.ahdb.org.uk/
- PVS Prescribing Principles for Antimicrobials: https://www.pigvetsoc.org.uk/resources/pvs-documents
- European Medicines Agency categorisation of antibiotics used in animals: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/report/infographic-categorisation-antibiotics-use-animals-prudent-responsible-use_en.pdf
More Standards
- AM.2 – A Veterinary Medicinal Product is legally defined as:
– any substance or combination of substances presented as having properties for treating or preventing disease in animals
– any substance or combination of substances that may be used in, or administered to, animals with a view either to restoring,correcting or modifying physiological functions by exerting a pharmacological, immunological or metabolic action, or to making a medical diagnosis.
Veterinary medicinal products used to treat and prevent disease in farm animals include, but are not limited to, vaccines, ecto- and endoparasiticides, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and anesthetics.
POM-V stands for ‘Prescription Only Medicine – Veterinarian’ and these veterinary products may only be supplied upon prescription by a veterinary surgeon for animals under their care. All antibiotics for food-producing animals are classified as POM-V.
POM-VPS stands for ‘Prescription-Only Medicine – Veterinarian, Pharmacist, Suitably Qualified Person (SQP, also known as RAMA – Registered Animal Medicines Advisor)’ and these products may be prescribed by these registered qualified persons.
The use of antibiotics as growth promoters is illegal.
- AM.3.1 – Courses include, but are not limited to, City & Guilds, NOAH/Lantra Antimicrobial Best Practice (Pig modules) and veterinary led training courses, as approved by Red Tractor. A list of approved courses can be found on the Red Tractor Assurance website. Certificates obtained from courses undertaken between 1 January 2018 and 31st October 2021 are acceptable as evidence
of compliance, regardless of whether approved or not.
Fieldspeople attending contract sites may be considered as a person responsible for overseeing use of medicines on the unit. However if there is someone on the unit that is responsible for management of medicines that person must also have undertaken training.
- AM.5 – Assigned bottle number allows members to assign a bottle number in the purchase records and note the assigned number in the administration records and for those bulk buying medication so individual bottles can be accounted for in records.
- AM.6 – The required information does not need to be in a single location (e.g. a medicine book); it can be stored in a combination of documents. However, a farm must be able to demonstrate how the information can be collated to correlate administration of particular medicines to specific groups of pigs so as to ensure the food chain is protected and any use of medicines is traceable.
For example, medicines administered routinely to groups of animals, such as vaccines, need not be individually entered in the medicine book. This could be a list in the VHP, medicine book or other document covering the necessary information will suffice as long as it can be correlated against other farm records such as farrowing/service records and associated medicine purchase records. - AM.8 – *NB this is only required for antibiotics, not other medicines or feed additives. It is not a requirement to use eMB as a daily record of medicines administered, although producers are free to do this if they wish.
- AM.10 – Ensuring treated livestock are “identifiable” may be achieved in different ways. It is not a specific requirement that treated animals are physically marked, although this is one way of ensuring animals are identifiable. The key is that it is possible, through systems employed on the farm, to identify treated animals to protect the food supply chain.
