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ANIMAL MEDICINES

Version 5.0

Click to view all ANIMAL MEDICINES

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.

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Where to find help – at the end of each section we have indicated where you can get extra guidance if you need it.

Aim:

ANIMAL MEDICINES

DG.AM.1 Key

Standards

Only authorised veterinary medicines are used.

How you will be measured

DG.AM.1.a

POM-V products are prescribed by a vet.

DG.AM.1.b

POM-VPS products are prescribed by a vet, pharmacist or Suitably Qualified Person (SQP)/Registered Animal Medicines Advisor (RAMA)

DG.AM.2 Key

Standards

Veterinary medicines must be used appropriately. (Revised)

How you will be measured

DG.AM.2.a

Prescription-only medicines are used in accordance with the prescription.

DG.AM.2.b

General Sales Medicines (AVM-GSL) (non-prescription) are used in accordance with manufacturers’ or veterinary instructions.

DG.AM.2.c

Expired medicines and open medicines not used within specified timescale (in-use shelf-life) are not used.

DG.AM.2.d

Antibiotic footbaths must not be used in milking stock.

DG.AM.2.1

Standards

Udder and hoof care products must not contain quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs).

How you will be measured

DG.AM.2.1.a

Either the chemical data sheet or a warranty declaration from the supplier confirms product does not contain QACs.

Chemical data sheets/warranty declaration

DG.AM.3

Standards

Veterinary medicines must only be administered by demonstrably competent persons.

How you will be measured

DG.AM.3.a

Person undertaking task has relevant experience or training.

Named in HHP or training records

DG.AM.3.1

Standards

At least one person, who is responsible for administering medicines has undertaken training and holds a certificate of competence/attendance from training undertaken since October 2016.

How you will be measured

DG.AM.3.1.a

Training courses cover at least: - medicine types - medicine handling - administration - medicine storage - recording requirements - avoiding residues
  • Certificate of competence/attendance
  • Training records

DG.AM.4

Standards

Veterinary medicines must be stored appropriately. (Revised)

How you will be measured

DG.AM.4.a

Kept in a locked storage facility/room. This must not be in the same room as that classified as the dairy.

DG.AM.4.b

Stored in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

DG.AM.4.c

Medicated feed is kept in separate clearly labelled bulk storage or bags.

DG.AM.4.d

Medicines that require refrigeration and are stored in a domestic fridge are stored in a container.

DG.AM.5

Standards

Purchase records for all veterinary medicines must be kept.

How you will be measured

DG.AM.5.a

Records detail: - identity of medicine - quantity - date of purchase - supplier name and address - expiry date(s) - batch number(s)

DG.AM.5.b

Medicine purchase records are kept for 5 years.

DG.AM.5.c

Medicated Feeding Stuff Prescriptions (MFSPs) are kept for 5 years.
  • Medicine purchase records
  • MFSPs (may be held centrally by parent company)

DG.AM.6 Key

Standards

Records must be kept of all administered veterinary medicines (paper and/or electronic). (Revised)

How you will be measured

DG.AM.6.a

Records detail: - identity of medicine - date of administration - quantity administered - length of withdrawal period for meat/milk - identification of the animal or group of animals administered - batch number - number of animals treated - date treatment finished - date animal/milk becomes fit for human consumption - name of person administering medicine - reason for treatment

DG.AM.6.b

Medicine administration records are kept for 5 years.

Medicine administration records

DG.AM.7

Standards

Veterinary medicines, their containers and administration equipment must be disposed of responsibly. (Revised)

How you will be measured

DG.AM.7.a

Expired and unusable medicines awaiting disposal are stored separately to in-use medicines

DG.AM.7.b

Used needles and blades are stored in a dedicated sharps container pending disposal.

DG.AM.7.c

Records of medicine disposal are kept, detailing: - identity of medicine - batch Number - quantity - date of disposal - route of disposal

DG.AM.7.d

Medicines, their containers and administration equipment are disposed of through the supplier, a registered waste disposal contractor or local authority, referring to the product literature for further guidance.
  • Medicine disposal records
  • Waste transfer note/receipt

DG.AM.8

Standards

Medicine records must provide an annual collation of total antibiotic used for the farm.

How you will be measured

DG.AM.8.a

Products collated by product name either by vet from prescription data or completed by farmer from medicine records.

Collation of antibiotic use

DG.AM.9 Key

Standards

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. (Revised)

How you will be measured

DG.AM.9.a

Use is supported by a veterinary statement outlining the justification for use, including sensitivity testing and/or diagnostics (this can occur parallel with treatment).

Vet statement

DG.AM.10 Key

Standards

Livestock being treated must be clearly identified and prescribed withdrawal periods complied with.

How you will be measured

DG.AM.10.a

System in place that ensures no contaminated milk enters tank or/and no livestock are presented for slaughter before the withdrawal period has expired - for farm to farm sales, animals under statutory withdrawal periods are accompanied by a withdrawal period declaration

DG.AM.10.b

Means of identification remains in place for the full withdrawal period.

DG.AM.10.c

Withdrawal period for cascade use is in accordance with veterinary prescription (standard minimum is seven days for milk – followed by milk testing and 28 days for meat).

Withdrawal period declaration

DG.AM.11

Standards

Procedures must be in place to deal appropriately with needles or part needles remaining in livestock.

How you will be measured

DG.AM.11.a

Broken needle policy detailing: - how the animal should be identified - procedures around informing the abattoir if sent for slaughter - records to be kept

DG.AM.11.b

Broken needle policy is followed.

DG.AM.11.c

Livestock containing broken needles may only be sold for slaughter if the animal is identifiable up to the time of slaughter.

Broken needle policy

  • AM.2 – 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 standards for ‘Prescription-Only Medicine – Veterinarian, Pharmacist, Suitably Qualified Person (SQP)’ and these products may be prescribed by these registered qualified persons.
  • The use of antibiotics as growth promoters is illegal. The use of certain substances which have a hormonal or thyrostatic action, including beta-agonists, except for specific therapeutic purposes, is also prohibited.
  • AM.3.1 – Courses include, but are not limited to, City & Guilds, NOAH/Lantra Antimicrobial Best Practice and veterinary led training courses, as approved by Red Tractor. A list of approved courses can be found on the Red Tractor Assurance website.
  • 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 livestock 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 – 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 and associated medicine purchase records.
  • 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.