VFDs and Practice

Dr. Laura BrunerSwine Vet Center

St Peter, MN

VFDs in Practice

Scenario

Need a VFD

• Linco 100g for 3 weeks• What do I do next?

Issue a VFD for Linco in the Feed

Internal VFD

Grow Finish Software

What’s next?

• Must provide the distributor with a copy of the VFD order.

• Must provide the client with a copy of the VFD order.

• Must retain the original VFD for 2 years.• Must provide VFD orders for inspection and

copying by FDA upon request.

What if we wanted to treat through the water?

• 200 miles away from office• Mobile application?• Email to office staff?• Approval over the phone?

What will it mean to Swine veterinarian?

1. Different client structures2. Time3. Communication4. Good records5. Challenges

1) Client Structure2400 Farrow to Finish

VFD for the nursery • Same flow• 1 nursery• Multiple diets

2400 Farrow to Finish

VFD per diet• Same flow of pigs• Multiple sites listed• Multiple diets

Multiple flows

Multiple flows

• VFD per Flow• List the sites the flow fills

Multiple flows

Multiple flows

VFD/site• Generated with feed budget?• Generated by office staff for

Veterinary signature?

Multiple flows

VFD/System• 1 VFD for all animals• Can you prove veterinary

Oversite?

2) Time

• 10 minutes per VFD• Maintaining records• High Volume- 90% + nursery diets will need 1

to 3 VFDs• Every client in our system did 2 VFDs per year– 312 hours

2400 Farrow to Finish

Client Type 2400 Farrow to finish

#Time/

6 months

1 VFD for all nurseries 1 10

Every 2 months 3 30

Multiple flows

Weaning 12,000 pigs/week ~ 5 nurseries per week

1 Diet

Multiple flows #Time in hours/

6 months1 VFD per nursery 120 20

VFD per flow ( 3 flows) 40 71 VFD for all Nurseries 1 0.17

3) Communication- With Clients

• Communication with Clients– What barns are filling?– Diet Changes?– Different VFD systems

• Communication with Staff and Veterinarian– Prescription changes– Emergency orders– New prescriptions– VFD signatures

3) Communication- With Staff

Water medications

• Prescription by order?– Traveling– Timeliness for pigs and producer– Mobile App?

• Prescription by client?– Set number of refills for prescription?– Set time for which the prescription is valid?

4. Good Records

• VCPR– Herd letters– Medication plans

• Veterinary Oversite– Diagnostics– Medication plans

• Prevention vs Treatment vs Control

Prevention vs Control vs Treatment

• Prevention example– Timed pulses of antibiotic in the finisher for the

prevention of ileitis– Diagnostics to justify use

5. Challenges

• Up to veterinarian to prove veterinary oversite• Traveling veterinarian• Multiple states• Emergency scripts• Veterinarian and Nutritionist communication• Balancing Veterinary oversite with logistics of

getting it done.

QUESTIONS?