12-21-18 – The US Food and Drug Administration reported this week that annual domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for use in feed-producing animals declined by 33% in 2017.
The FDA also said feed use for disease prevention dropped sharply last year to less than a million pounds.
The data came from compulsory reports from drug producers to the FDA, the agency said in its report.
Each year, every sponsor of an approved or conditionally approved new animal drug application containing an antimicrobial active ingredient must report to the Food and Drug Administration the amount of each such ingredient in these products sold or distributed for use in food-producing animals, the report said. The FDA summarizes this information and makes it available to the public in annual summary reports.
The data also found that domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for used in food-producing animals decreased by 43% from 2015, the peak year of reported sales, through 2917 and that such distribution declined by 28% from 2009, the first year of reported sales) through 2017.
FEED USE DROPS SHARPLY
Further, the FDA said domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for use in food-producing animals that have an approved indication for production use decreased to zero last year from 12.7 million pounds in 2016.
And, the FDA said domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for use in food-producing animals that are sold over the counter decreased to 598,070 pounds from 17.6 million in 2016.
The FDA credited the drop in disease-prevention use to the implementation of its Guidance For Industry No. 213, which said the use of medically important antimicrobial drugs for production purposes in food-producing animals was not a judicious use of these drugs. The directive said that use of such drugs for increased rate of weight gain of improved feed efficiency no longer were appropriate uses for antimicrobials.
In contrast, the FDA said it considers antimicrobial uses that are necessary for the treatment, control and prevention of specific diseases to be therapeutic.
64% OF SALES ARE TETRACYCLINES
Tetracyclines accounted for 64% of the 2017 domestic sales and distribution of medically important antimicrobials approved for use in food-producing animals, the FDA said. Penicillins accounted for 12%, macrolides for 8%, sulfas for 5%, aminoglycosides for 5%, lincosamides for 3% and cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones each for less than 1%.
An estimated 42% of the total was intended for use in cattle, the FDA said, while an estimated 36% was intended for use in swine, 12% estimated for use in turkeys, 5% intended for chickens and 5% went to other, or unknown, species.
Clearly, red meat and poultry producers are getting away from preventive use of antibiotics.
CATTLE, BEEF RECAP
No fed cattle traded Wednesday on the Fed Cattle Exchange Video Auction. Last week, 97 head sold last Wednesday at an average price of $119 per cwt, up $1.17 from a week earlier.
Cash cattle were trading Thursday at $190 per cwt in eastern Nebraska, up $2 from last week. Live-basis cash cattle traded last week at $118 to mostly $119 per cwt, steady with the previous week.
The USDA choice cutout Thursday was up $0.77 per cwt at $212.47, while select was up $0.41 at $205.26. The choice/select spread widened to $7.21 from $6.85 with 78 loads of fabricated product sold into the spot market.
No delivery notices were served for Dec live cattle.
The CME Feeder Cattle index for the seven days ended Wednesday, was $145.74 per cwt, up $0.13. This compares with Thursday’s Jan settlement of $147.42, up $1.22.
IN OUR OPINION
–While a few cattle traded in the cash market Thursday, the bulk of the action awaits. The USDA reported an inactive market. Trade sources said the activity was waiting for the Cattle on Feed report, but trading had gotten into a habit of trading on Fridays, and this may have had as much to do with the inactivity as the on-feed report. Action likely will perk up today.
–Live cattle futures may not see much from the on-feed report. Market traders were expecting numbers that were close to what was reported with placements at 95% of a year ago, marketings at 101% and on feed at 102%.
–In fact, the futures market may be near a peak, given the absence of exciting domestic beef demand that habitually settles in after the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
–President Donald Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill Thursday, ending a congressional fight over proposed work requirements for food stamp recipients. The signing protects crop insurance programs and other programs on which farmers depend. The bill also opens the way for farmers to produce hemp, a variety of cannabis that does not produce the highs that marijuana provides. But it does provide a way to produce cannabidiol, which is the latest thing to fix what ails you.