Author Archive: wpengine
... New FDA guidelines: Rating an animal antibiotic’s importance to humans
May 25, 2016wpengineComments Off on New FDA guidelines: Rating an animal antibiotic’s importance to humans
The new industry guidelines issued by the US Food and Drug Administration in December suggest removing performance claims from food-animal antimicrobials deemed “medically important” to humans...... Changes ahead: Everything you need to know about the new guidelines for oral antimicrobials
Apr 05, 2016wpengineComments Off on Changes ahead: Everything you need to know about the new guidelines for oral antimicrobials
The US poultry industry has already shown that it knows how to use antimicrobials judiciously. In this special report, Poultry Health Today editors take an in-depth look at what FDA calls Guidance...... New coccidiosis-management initiative aims to reduce losses
Oct 14, 2015wpengineComments Off on New coccidiosis-management initiative aims to reduce losses
Targeting the global poultry industry’s more than $3 billion in annual losses to coccidiosis, Zoetis Inc. introduced a new, science-based initiative to help poultry producers worldwide develop...... Pathogens on farm and in processing related
Jul 13, 2015wpengineComments Off on Pathogens on farm and in processing related
Salmonella and Campylobacter prevalence and loads on the farm are significantly associated with prevalence and loads of the same pathogens at processing.... Judicious drug use: The good, the bad and the ugly
Jun 29, 2015wpengineComments Off on Judicious drug use: The good, the bad and the ugly
According to FDA, judicious use means administering an antimicrobial drug appropriately — and only when necessary.... Poultry vet reviews nuts and bolts of FDA’s new antimicrobial guidelines
May 29, 2015wpengineComments Off on Poultry vet reviews nuts and bolts of FDA’s new antimicrobial guidelines
FDA recently rolled out new voluntary guidelines for antimicrobial usage in poultry and livestock — not just how the medications are categorized and prescribed, but also how, when and why they...... CDC turns to Yelp for tracking reports of foodborne illness
Mar 05, 2015wpengineComments Off on CDC turns to Yelp for tracking reports of foodborne illness
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently posted analysis of using the urban business-review site Yelp to identify unreported outbreaks of foodborne illness, reports the latest edition of...... Doing a 180: A little education goes a long way toward changing customers’ attitudes about antibiotics
Dec 11, 2014wpengineComments Off on Doing a 180: A little education goes a long way toward changing customers’ attitudes about antibiotics
Back in 2008, Pfizer Animal Health (now Zoetis Inc.) conducted market research to get a better handle on consumer opinions about the use of antibiotics...... Field trials show practical, economic benefits of E. coli vaccine in broilers
Nov 13, 2014wpengineComments Off on Field trials show practical, economic benefits of E. coli vaccine in broilers
Recent studies on two continents have demonstrated that a modified-live vaccine reduced losses from Escherichia coli in broilers, even when the disease challenge was strong.... Being more transparent: Media experts offer tips to poultry companies
Oct 30, 2014wpengineComments Off on Being more transparent: Media experts offer tips to poultry companies
Between fast and easy Internet access, hundreds of cable channels, the explosion of social media, the rise of “citizen journalism” and the emergence of new digital news hubs and blogs, keeping...... Media specialist: ‘Get on the same message’ with poultry antibiotics, other topics
Oct 27, 2014wpengineComments Off on Media specialist: ‘Get on the same message’ with poultry antibiotics, other topics
The poultry industry needs to “get on the same message” when talking about judicious antibiotic usage and other production topics, says Bryan Reber, PhD, a professor of public relations at the...... Food industry consultant urges poultry industry to engage, educate customers through social media
Oct 20, 2014wpengineComments Off on Food industry consultant urges poultry industry to engage, educate customers through social media
Today’s consumers are smarter, more engaged and “assume a certain amount of control over the things in their lives that they feel passionate about” says food industry consultant Frank...... Activist groups defeated in attempts to curb antibiotic use
Aug 13, 2014wpengineComments Off on Activist groups defeated in attempts to curb antibiotic use
Two activist efforts recently suffered defeats in attempts to curb antibiotic use in US animal agriculture... New FDA antibiotic guidelines: What’s a VFD?
Jul 04, 2014wpengineComments Off on New FDA antibiotic guidelines: What’s a VFD?
The phrase Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) may be new to poultry veterinarians and producers, but the process has actually been around since 1996, when Congress passed the Animal Drug Availability...... #152 Guidance for Industry: Evaluating the safety of antimicrobial new animal drugs with regard to their microbiological effects on bacteria of human health concern
Jul 03, 2014wpengineComments Off on #152 Guidance for Industry: Evaluating the safety of antimicrobial new animal drugs with regard to their microbiological effects on bacteria of human health concern
Appendix A of this document ranks antimicrobial drugs according to their importance in human medicine and may be updated by FDA.... New FDA antibiotic guidelines: Why comply?
Jul 02, 2014wpengineComments Off on New FDA antibiotic guidelines: Why comply?
FDA’s new antimicrobial guidelines are strictly voluntary — to a degree. In the agency’s own words, they “do not establish legally enforceable responsibilities”; they merely “describe the...... Feeling misunderstood? Vet urges producers to take action
Jul 01, 2014wpengineComments Off on Feeling misunderstood? Vet urges producers to take action
Don’t blame consumers if they seem to have little understanding of modern poultry and livestock production. “It’s not their fault and it is not intentional. It is just the way society has...... Should antibiotics be used to prevent disease in poultry?
Jun 19, 2014wpengineComments Off on Should antibiotics be used to prevent disease in poultry?
Three veterinarians explain why they think it's a sensible and ethical thing to do with certain diseases.... Should antibiotics be used to prevent disease in poultry?
Jun 19, 2014wpengineComments Off on Should antibiotics be used to prevent disease in poultry?
Using antibiotics to prevent — not just treat or control — certain diseases of poultry is a sensible, responsible and ethical practice, according to three veterinarians featured on an industry...... Coccidiosis: Why is it still so difficult to control?
Jun 12, 2014wpengineComments Off on Coccidiosis: Why is it still so difficult to control?
Coccidiosis can be extremely difficult to manage in poultry because the organism that causes it "has a tremendous capability to reproduce and it's very resistant to any kind of attempt to destroy...... ‘Organic’ labels for poultry, other foods challenged in recent news reports
Jun 09, 2014wpengineComments Off on ‘Organic’ labels for poultry, other foods challenged in recent news reports
Critics of the organic labels for poultry meat and other foods are speaking up, reports the latest edition of Influence Feed.... Intestinal health and necrotic enteritis in broilers
Jun 03, 2014wpengineComments Off on Intestinal health and necrotic enteritis in broilers
Management at the farm level (litter quality and composition, lighting programmes, stocking density, drinker management and dietary feed management) are important to control necrotic enteritis,...... Reality check: Oft-cited antibiotic-usage figure mixes numbers from two reports
Jun 03, 2014wpengineComments Off on Reality check: Oft-cited antibiotic-usage figure mixes numbers from two reports
Confidently presenting facts — not defensive rhetoric — can go a long way toward shaping consumer opinions about commercial poultry production and the importance of maintaining flock health,...... Antibiotic resistance revisited in recent media reports
May 27, 2014wpengineComments Off on Antibiotic resistance revisited in recent media reports
Following the April 2014 World Health Organization (WHO) report warning of a “post-antibiotic era,” Current Biology published the findings of a new study on May 19, reports Influence Feed.... CDC releases progress report on food safety
Apr 28, 2014wpengineComments Off on CDC releases progress report on food safety
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network (FoodNet) report last week indicating that rates of Salmonella recently declined...... Supplemental bacitracin reduces mortality, C. perfringens in broilers
Apr 17, 2014wpengineComments Off on Supplemental bacitracin reduces mortality, C. perfringens in broilers
Commercial broilers that received a bacitracin-supplemented diet had less Clostridium perfringens in their gut, according to researchers at Ohio State University.... FDA issues update on antibiotic guidelines
Apr 13, 2014wpengineComments Off on FDA issues update on antibiotic guidelines
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued on March 26 an Update on Animal Pharmaceutical Industry Response to Guidance #213, which asked animal health companies to voluntarily phase out...... Remembering (and channeling) Dr. Scott Hurd
Apr 11, 2014wpengineComments Off on Remembering (and channeling) Dr. Scott Hurd
The last time we talked with Iowa State University’s Dr. Scott Hurd, he was joyfully, if not playfully, musing about all the topics he could cover in his new blog for Poultry Health Today....... ‘Socially responsible’ food production stirs debate
Mar 31, 2014wpengineComments Off on ‘Socially responsible’ food production stirs debate
The past few weeks have showcased the exploration of "socially responsible" food production and its consumer appeal, occasionally with contradictory findings, according to the latest edition of...... ‘Influence Feed’ now featured on Poultry Health Today
Mar 13, 2014wpengineComments Off on ‘Influence Feed’ now featured on Poultry Health Today
Poultry Health Today is pleased to feature Influence Feed — a biweekly report rounding up the hot topics in food and agriculture, as determined by the most influential voices from across the...... Numbers, figures and the fine print
Mar 11, 2014wpengineComments Off on Numbers, figures and the fine print
Between announcing the federal government’s first major updates to the Nutrition Facts panel in 20 years and the restriction of in-school advertising of foods that don’t meet healthy guidelines,...... Poultry veterinarian shares ideas for managing coccidiosis more effectively, economically, sustainably
Feb 28, 2014wpengineComments Off on Poultry veterinarian shares ideas for managing coccidiosis more effectively, economically, sustainably
Don Waldrip, DVM, talks about a new a new science-based, global initiative from Zoetis to help poultry producers develop longer term, sustainable management of coccidiosis.... Defining wholesomeness
Feb 25, 2014wpengineComments Off on Defining wholesomeness
The past two weeks have featured the convergence of special interest agendas and consumer food trends into a series of high-profile business developments. In particular, Chick-fil-A’s announcement...... Five federal bills seek to curb on-farm antibiotic use
Feb 13, 2014wpengineComments Off on Five federal bills seek to curb on-farm antibiotic use
Although FDA has introduced new guidelines for using feed antibiotics in poultry and livestock, some members of Congress would like the industry to go a few steps further.... Transparency or exaggeration?
Feb 11, 2014wpengineComments Off on Transparency or exaggeration?
In the past weeks we’ve taken note of two prominent foodservice companies using agricultural practices for marketing positioning. McDonald’s and Chipotle instigated influencer conversation by...... Welcome to Influence Feed
Jan 28, 2014wpengineComments Off on Welcome to Influence Feed
Welcome to the Food and Agriculture Influence Feed from Zoetis, a biweekly report rounding up the top topics in food and agriculture, as determined by the most influential voices from across the...... CDC: Widespread use of antibiotics in hospitals is leading cause of resistance
Jan 24, 2014wpengineComments Off on CDC: Widespread use of antibiotics in hospitals is leading cause of resistance
The most important cause of antibiotic-resistant infections in people can be attributed to widespread antibiotic use in hospitals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).... Rotecc™ coccidiosis management video
Jan 24, 2014wpengineComments Off on Rotecc™ coccidiosis management video
Learn more about the new global coccidiosis-management initiative from Zoetis.... Antibiotic resistance threats in the United States, 2013
Jan 22, 2014wpengineComments Off on Antibiotic resistance threats in the United States, 2013
This CDC report explores antimicrobial resistance, one of our most serious health threats. Efforts to prevent such threats build on the foundation of proven public health strategies: immunization,...... Specialists discuss impact of new FDA guidelines
Jan 22, 2014wpengineComments Off on Specialists discuss impact of new FDA guidelines
In anticipation of the new FDA guidelines for antibiotic usage, Zoetis, Inc., teamed with Watt Global Media to organize a panel discussion about the future of antibiotics in poultry. Following are...... Veterinarians define judicious antibiotic use in poultry
Jan 21, 2014wpengineComments Off on Veterinarians define judicious antibiotic use in poultry
With antibiotics, deciding when to use them is as essential as determining how much.... Using antibiotics to improve flock performance
Jan 21, 2014wpengineComments Off on Using antibiotics to improve flock performance
Low doses of some antibiotics can help maintain a healthy flock without increasing drug resistance, according to a University of Minnesota veterinarian.... #209 Guidance for Industry: The judicious use of medically important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals.
Jan 15, 2014wpengineComments Off on #209 Guidance for Industry: The judicious use of medically important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals.
GFI 209 presents the FDA’s recent thinking on the topic and lays out FDA strategy and recommendations.... Methods of diagnosing enteric disease clarified
Jan 15, 2014wpengineComments Off on Methods of diagnosing enteric disease clarified
Diagnosing clostridial enteric disease in poultry remains a challenge — primarily because many clostridial species can be a normal inhabitant of the gut, which makes it difficult to determine their...... Increased CVI988 vaccine use credited with decline in Marek’s disease
Jan 15, 2014wpengineComments Off on Increased CVI988 vaccine use credited with decline in Marek’s disease
Increased use of CVI988/Rispens vaccines is credited with declines in the incidence of Marek’s disease (MD), according to investigators from USDA‘s Agricultural Research Service.... Single dose of Poulvac IBMM+Ark protects long-lived broilers for at least 9 weeks
Jan 15, 2014wpengineComments Off on Single dose of Poulvac IBMM+Ark protects long-lived broilers for at least 9 weeks
One dose of the live, attenuated vaccine Poulvac® IBMM+Ark effectively protected broilers against two infectious bronchitis (IB) strains for at least 9 weeks, a recent study shows.... Better protection shown with recommended Marek’s disease vaccine dose in two genetic lines
Jan 15, 2014wpengineComments Off on Better protection shown with recommended Marek’s disease vaccine dose in two genetic lines
The recommended dose of two Marek’s disease virus (MDV) vaccines provided better protection in two genetic lines of meat-type chickens compared to a lower dose, the results of a recent study show,...... Organic raw poultry not necessarily safer
Jan 15, 2014wpengineComments Off on Organic raw poultry not necessarily safer
Organic raw poultry is not necessarily safer for consumption than conventionally raised poultry, indicates a study from the University of Tennessee.... New studies examine effects of lighting on chickens
Jan 14, 2014wpengineComments Off on New studies examine effects of lighting on chickens
Two recent studies show that broilers perform better under LED lighting than fluorescent lamps while layer behaviour is affected by light wavelength.... Guidance for Industry No 213
Jan 05, 2014wpengineComments Off on Guidance for Industry No 213
Provides recommendations and voluntary timelines to voluntarily implement the judicious use of antibiotics in ways that address public health concerns while maintaining the health, performance and...... Research review: What’s new in poultry housing and equipment?
Jan 03, 2014wpengineComments Off on Research review: What’s new in poultry housing and equipment?
With animal welfare and the environmental aspects of food animal farming gaining more attention from the public and high feed prices focusing efforts on getting the best performance from poultry,...... Lameness in broilers: Osteomyelitis
Jan 01, 2014wpengineComments Off on Lameness in broilers: Osteomyelitis
By Stephen Collett, BScAgric, BVSc, MMedVet, MRCVS, DACPV Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia