Written protocols should be in place and reviewed annually with your veterinarian and employees to ensure that certain procedures are carried out appropriately.

Goals:

To improve the traceability of livestock, and aid in disease prevention and control, residue withdrawal and avoidance, and management decisions.

How to assess:

Review the record keeping protocol to confirm that the following information is included and that appropriate criteria are being met:

Dairy Well

• Health records must be saved for all life stages and events for all age groups
  • Including:
    • Treatment
    • Morbidity (including injury)
    • Mortality
• All cattle must have permanent individual IDs

National Dairy FARM Program

• Each animal is permanently identified
• Permanent, easily accessible drug treatment records are maintained and denote how all drugs were used and disposed

Validus

• Drug treatment records must be current and accessible to employees
  • Record of medication use and treatment that includes animal identification, date, drug administered, dosage, route of administration, withdrawal time, and initials of individual treating animal
• Health records are updated daily
• All cattle must have permanent IDs
• Mortality records are recorded and reviewed annually