Tips to Help Simplify Animal Medicine Recording

MAINTAINING accurate animal medicine records is one of the important areas of compliance in the Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme (SDAS) and the Beef and Lamb Quality Assurance Scheme (BLQAS).

Medicine recording is a legal requirement and yet it is an area that frequently challenges farmers to ensure all details are correct for audits and/or cross compliance.

Some of the key areas that have have arisen for farmers in complying with SDAS include – medicine usage and records; effluent control and water test reports.

Medicine recording need not be a difficult task. All farmers are legally obliged to record all treatments administered whether it is by the farmer, vet or farm personnel. The records have to be maintained for all animals on the holding and all of the medicine records must be fully up-to-date.

Medicine and treatments that must be recorded include – mastitis tubes, dry cow tubes, vaccinations, doses and all veterinary prescriptions. It is important to take into account that antibiotic bolus, some minerals such as copper or hormones and pain relief must be recorded.

Take note of the meat and milk withholding times. If you are using computer-based farm management packages or phone apps then ensure that you load the correct withholding times for the remedies.

A key step towards improved record keeping is to simply record the medicines directly after administration. This will become a habit.

Set up a simple system to do this, in the most convenient area

1. Use a day diary/ Glanbia calendar in the dairy, to record the date, the medicine name, the amount given, and the identity of the animal or group treated.
2. Allocate time to fill in the Bord Bia Book, or on computer/ mobile phone the withholding times for meat and milk where applicable, who treated the animal and who prescribed the medicine if relevant.
3. If this data is recorded routinely as laid out above farmers will be more at ease completing this task.

SAMPLE ANIMAL REMEDIES AND TUBE USAGE RECORDS

Animal Remedies Usage Chart from Bord Bia farm book

See below a completed example of the Animal Remedies Usage Record Section of the Bord Bia Farm Book to assist you in recording medicines.

Tube Usage Register from Bord Bia farm pack

For convenience lactating tubes, dry cow tubes and sealers can be recorded in the Bord Bia Tube Usage Register. See below example – this is acceptable as a record.

There are also options to use reputable service providers for medicine recording on farm or one of the farm management packages/phone apps that are available. If you are having any difficulties with your recording programme then the service providers of the farm management packages/phone apps are willing to assist.

For any queries in relation to Milk Quality and SDAS, please contact your local Milk Quality Manager.

First Published 2 July 2019