A Prescribed Change A Prescribed Change

In June, a veterinarian's prescription will be required to purchase over-the-counter livestock antibiotics

In June, a veterinarian’s prescription will be required to purchase over-the-counter livestock antibiotics

Story by Cara Moore

Story by Cara Moore

he Center of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have regulated how livestock antibiotics will be labeled and obtained, from over the counter (OTC) to prescription only, starting in June.

TThe Center of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have regulated how livestock antibiotics will be labeled and obtained, from over the counter (OTC) to prescription only, starting in June. With the goal of responsible practices impacting disease prevention and public health, farmers are encouraged to establish relationships with local veterinarians to ensure animal health.

With the goal of responsible practices impacting disease prevention and public health, farmers are encouraged to establish relationships with local veterinarians to ensure animal health.

“No longer will producers be able to walk into any Co-op or farm supply store to buy a bottle of penicillin,” says Dr. Kevin Cox, DVM, chief operating officer of Alliance Animal Care, a wholesale ani- mal health distribution company. “They’ll now need a strong relationship with their veterinarian. Sure, it’s an extra hoop to jump through, but one that is necessary to prevent misuse and disease resistance.”

2017 when the FDA brought most antibiotics used in the feed or drinking water of livestock under veterinary supervision. Feed containing specific antibiotics requires a Veterinary Feed Directive, while such agents used in drinking water require a veterinary prescription.

The initiative to promote antimicrobial stewardship began in 2017 when the FDA brought most antibiotics used in the feed or drinking water of livestock under veterinary supervision. Feed containing specific antibiotics requires a Veterinary Feed Directive, while such agents used in drinking water require a veterinary prescription.

"No longer will producers be able to walk into any Co-op or farm supply store to buy a bottle of penicillin," says Dr. Kevin Cox, DVM, chief operating officer of Alliance Animal Care, a wholesale animal health distribution company. "They'll now need a strong relationship with their veterinarian. Sure, it's an extra hoop to jump through, but one that is necessary to prevent misuse and disease resistance."

The focus has since turned to other dosage forms, such as injectables, intramammary tubes, topical treatments, and boluses. The affected antibiotics are those considered “medically important,” meaning they are also used in the treatment of hu-

The initiative to promote antimicrobial stewardship began in man diseases. The most common of these include penicillin, tetracycline, sulfamethazine, tylosin, erythromycin, and sulfadimethoxine, which are often used in the treatment of pinkeye, general infection, calf scours, pneumonia, and other respiratory illnesses.

“The regulations were put in place to protect the integrity of antibiotics so that they can continue to help us in the future,” says Dr. Cox. “If we begin to abuse and overuse them, bacteria will develop a resistance to them, and they will no longer be effective.”

There are, in fact, several types of bacteria that can cause diseases in both animals

The focus has since turned to other dosage forms, such as injectables, intra-mammary tubes, topical treatments, and boluses. The affected antibiotics are those considered "medically important," meaning they are also used in the treatment of human diseases. The most common of these include penicillin, tetracycline, sulfamethazine, tylosin, erythromycin, and sulfadimethoxine, which are often used in the treatment of pinkeye, general infection, calf scours, pneumonia, and other respiratory illnesses.

(See A Prescribed Change, page 6)

"The regulations were put in place to protect the integrity of antibiotics so that they can continue to help us in the future," says Dr. Cox. "If we begin to abuse and overuse them, bacteria will develop a resistance to them, and they will no longer be effective."

There are, in fact, several types of bacteria that can cause diseases in both animals and humans. Because of this, medically important antimicrobials should only be used when necessary and under the supervision of a veterinarian. This practice will prevent bacteria from developing a resistance to the drugs and causing human health implications if a human contracts the disease.

The transition of livestock antibiotics to prescription only will take effect in June 2023. Even before that date, an OTC antibiotic label displaying the statement "Caution: Federal law restricts this drug to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian," will mean that product can no longer be purchased without first consulting a veterinarian to obtain a prescription.

Weakley Farmers Cooperative (Martin, TN) Large Animal Veterinarian Dr. Amber Moore says that producers should be aware that a veterinarian-patient relationship (VPR) must be established before prescriptions can legally be issued. This validation occurs when your veterinarian conducts an in-person examination of your animal and is maintained through regular visits to the operation.

"Producers should be proactive in making sure their VPR is up-to-date so they don't lose access to antibiotics that they may need," says Dr. Moore. "It's really not hard to do, and it will make all the difference in being able to address health issues before they become a major problem."

Concerns have been raised as to the shortage of large animal veterinarians across the country and to the limited availability of some producers in rural areas to access animal health services. According to a recent survey by the American Veterinary Association, only 10% of final-year veterinary students in the U.S. are interested in working with livestock after graduation. Rural veterinarians will likely experience more business because of the antibiotic change.

Many diseases can be prevented through responsible management practices before antibiotics are even required. Dr. Cox encourages producers to put a greater focus on nutrition, genetics, and other factors that contribute to the overall health and durability of their livestock.

This is the perfect time for producers to evaluate what they are doing in their operation to reduce the risk of disease," says Dr. Cox. "Is the livestock's diet balanced? Do they have an effective vaccination and parasite control program?" Vaccines will still be available over the counter and from the veterinary community's view, would be considered a huge component of disease avoidance. Producers and retailers alike will have decisions to make in 2023 on herd health options. The new mandate will likely increase costs for both in addressing disease control.

For more information on the anti-infective ruling, visit the FDA website.

Article originally appeared in the March 2023 issue of THE COOPERATOR.

Bwi Awards

BWI DIVISION OF THE YEAR: SCHULENBURG, TX

Congratulations to the BWI Schulenburg team on becoming the 2022-23 Division of the Year. Schulenburg edged out Texarkana by 1.5 points. This is their 14th time winning this prestigious award.

Bwi Employee Awards

BWI Employees of the Year

1. Cindy Miksch - Office (Schulenburg, TX)

2. Mike Maxwell - Transportation Coordinator/Relief Driver (Apopka, FL)

BWI Department Manager of the Year

3. Josh Ferguson - Branch Manager (Houston, TX)

BWI Corporate Employee of the Year

4. Bennett Black - Web Developer (Corporate)

ROAD TO $100 MILLION IN SALES

BWI-Schulenburg was the first division to surpass $50M in sales when they accomplished this feat in 2011. Eleven years later, they became the first division to exceed $100M with sales of $113,786,208, followed by Texarkana, who ended the year with $100,820,011 in sales. Congratulations to both divisions as they now have set their sites in going over the $113.8M bar in 2023.

Truck Safety Award

BWI Companies, Inc. is the winner of the TXTA Truck Safety Contest in the Intercity Under 2.5 Million Mile Class. We will be presented the plaque during the TXTA Annual Conference Safety/Maintenance Luncheon in San Antonio, TX, on July 27, 2023.

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By Traci Pitman

“The cattle, watching the grass grow, making hay. On a ranch, you raise cattle, you ride horses, you grow up with chickens. You butcher, you see calves being born, you raise pigs.”

It’s a cycle Alan, who still lives on a ranch today, knows well. And at the center of that cycle is the neighborhood feed store. Alan’s father always wanted to own a feed store, and when Alan was 15, the family opened New Braunfels Feed & Supply. Alan immediately went to work for the family store as the carryout boy.

Except for the time he spent earning a degree in agricultural business at Stephen F. Austin State University, he never left. Fifteen years ago, Alan’s parents passed the business down to him.

“They said they had other endeavors and didn’t need the store anymore,” he said. “My dad passed away, but my mom still works here in the office.”

The store services customers of all kinds, from house pet owners to commercial ranchers. Folks travel to the store from all over the Texas Hill Country. Alan said some of their out-of-town customers drive by other feed stores to come to

New Braunfels Feed & Supply.

“We’re a feed store, but we’re kind of a full service,” Alan said. “We sell everything from plants and pet food to chemicals and hardware. Our clients 30 years ago used to be ranchers, but now it’s people with 5-10 acres of land and horses, dogs, goats, maybe gardens. We’re well diversified. We take care of everyone from apartment living to 500-acre ranches.”

In June 2023 New Braunfels Feed & Supply will celebrate its 40th anniversary. And if you ask Alan, the work gets more enjoyable with each passing year.

“Twenty years ago, 15 years ago, it was about the money,” he said. “You’re starting a family, you’ve got to make sure everybody is happy and fed. The older you get, you aren’t as worried about money and you realize how good life is, and then it’s about connecting with your customers. This morning, for example, a woman came in and bought six baby chicks. She said, ‘I couldn’t sleep last night!’ because she was so excited about the chicks.” even earlier age than Alan.

Having a business people get excited about, he said, is just plain fun.

“Right now, that means more to me than money,” he said.

“I have a picture of him with his nametag on when he was three or four weeks old,” he said. “He had a little pen in his hand.”

Starting at age 14, Trey worked summers at the store. Trey recently earned an agricultural communication degree from Texas A&M University, and he’s next in line to run the business.

“He wants to do it,” Alan said. “He knows what he has, and his biggest fear is screwing it up. He’s a good kid. He’s seen me work hard, and he knows that if he works hard then he’ll do good in life and have a successful business, too.”

That personal connection is what differentiates New Braunfels Feed & Supply from their competition.

“For a while I thought Amazon and online retailers were really going to hurt us,” Alan said. “I thought, ‘You can get all that stuff online; why do people need us?’ But it’s not that way. People come in, they want to talk, tell their story. They want to talk about their chickens, dogs, cats, goats.”

The store’s 15 employees enjoy the banter, too.

“We have lots of great employees, and they just feed off of that,” Alan said. “When we have first-time shoppers in here, we give them a hard time and joke around a little bit. You just joke around with customers and they keep coming back. We keep doing the same core thing, and that keeps driving our business. We get compliments all the time about how good the store is, how nice and helpful our employees are. That means everything to me.”

Alan’s son, Trey Allen, III, got his start at New Braunfels Feed & Supply at an

Alan’s daughters Rachel and Emily, students at Shriner College and Blinn College, also grew up immersed in the family business. He said he hopes one of them will join the business after they graduate.

At New Braunfels Feed & Supply, employees are part of the family, too.

“Our employees—I cannot say enough for them,” he said. “Our office manager Janet runs the store. Our manager David does a great job, and all the people working up front and in our warehouse. We couldn’t do anything without our employees. They’re top notch. We have some great employees who help us out so much.”

BWI Sales Rep Bob Belanger may not be an employee, but he’s been part of the family since he started working at BWI in 1992.

“I can’t brag enough on my sales rep, but I won’t tell it to his face,” Alan said. “Bob does a fantastic job. He’s different from other sales reps. He knows what I want, but he doesn’t push you. He doesn’t sell us things that he doesn’t believe will sell in our store. I let him go through the store and do all the ordering because he knows what we need. We give him a hard time, but he’s very good.”

Alan said BWI has been a major supplier for more than 35 years. In 2022, they were the store’s top supplier.

“Businesses like us need companies like them,” he said. “Without them, we wouldn’t have anything. They supply us, and we have supplies for our customers. And without our customers, we would have nothing. It’s a big cycle.”

That cycle also includes their community. New Braunfels Feed & Supply gives back.

“We sponsor everything,” Alan said. “You name it, we give. We do the animal show for FFA and 4H kids, and we sponsor many different organizations. We donate as much as we can. They’re our customers, so we need to make sure we take care of them, too.”

Someday, when it’s Trey’s turn to lead the store, Alan plans to get back to ranching. Until then, he’s having the time of his life.

“Our business is just so strong,” he said. “It’s kind of funny. More and more people find out about us, and we just continue plugging along. We’ve got lots of good customers who come in and just want to joke around and have fun, so that’s what we’re about.”

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