The Mountain View County agricultural service board has made a recommendation that the county host an information session for area producers to provide information on changes coming to antimicrobial use rules in the province.
The move came by way of motion at the recent regularly scheduled ASB meeting in council chambers.
Last month the county partnered with Alberta Farm Animal Care to provide an update on changes to the use.
Coun. Dwayne Fulton attended that event and updated the ASB on May 7.
The board received information provided by the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association (ABVMA).
According to the Government of Canada website, changes are coming to “move all medically important antimicrobials to prescription status. Supervision by a licensed veterinarian in treatment decisions is an important part of antimicrobial oversight.
“Veterinarians who prescribe for animals under their care have the training to access animal health and diagnose disease. They can also determine the need for antimicrobial drug treatment and choose the treatment.”
During the recent information, Dr. Darrell Dalton, secretary-treasurer of the ABVMA, said veterinary oversight is a key element of antimicrobial stewardship, and that professional involvement of licensed veterinarians is providing direction for appropriate use of antimicrobials in animals.
Changes being proposed hope to eliminate unnecessary antimicrobial use, improve standards of use where necessary, improve animal health to reduce the need for antimicrobials, improve consumer and public confidence, maintain access to essential animal health medications, protect public safety and health, and meet sanitary standards involved in animal trade, members heard.
The ABVMA has launched a new communication strategy to inform producers. That strategy includes posters, postcards and social media posts.
Councillor Fulton, who sits on the ASB, updated the board on the recent meeting.
“You’ll still be able to get medicated feed, but it’s going to be prescription based,” said Fulton. “The gap I see is for the smaller producers, people who have 20-30 cows. Right now they can go buy some stuff (antimicrobial) to add to the feed. Now all of that is going to stop.
“It’s putting a lot more work on the veterinarians. There are quite a few challenges. They are really trying to squeeze down on the use of the Class 1, 2 and 3 drugs. They really want to pull back from blanket usage and make sure that you are administering the right amount in the right situations.”
The county could partner with other stakeholders, such as another county, to host an information session “to get some of this information out there,” he said.
“I assume the larger operations already deal with a veterinarian on a regular basis, but there is going to be quite a segment of the population that maybe doesn’t use a vet that often. We need to put out the information.”
Small producers also need to build good relationships with veterinarians, he said.
The workshop could also include information on environmental farm plans, he said.
“We could have more than one topic of discussion to spread the word,” he said. “I’m not sure everyone is up to speed on what is coming.”
The information workshop could be held this summer. An exact time and place has not yet been announced.
In other news from the recent agriculture board meeting, members were updated on the province’s Wild Boar at Large Ear Bounty Program (WBLBP).
“Alberta Agriculture and Forestry is continuing the program for an additional two years,” administration said in a briefing note to the board.
“The purpose will be to provide compensation to individuals who are controlling the spread of wild boar at large populations in Alberta, and to collect data of the locations where wild boar are at large and the severity of the infestation. It will be geared more towards those municipalities who have smaller populations or the occasional strays.”
The program will be available to all ASBs other than the two that are currently participating in the program, members heard.
“Alberta Agriculture and Forestry (AF) encourages anyone that suspects they have an emerging wild boar at large population to connect with AF’s Inspection and Investigation Section before entering into a new agreements. Staff from this branch would like to work with your ASB to help determine the extent of the population and whether another option would work better.
“Previously the county’s ASB provided the recommendation Mountain View County continue its participation in the program in the case of wild boar at large becoming a problem due to an operation in a neighbouring municipality. Mountain View County has prohibited wild boar.”
The ASB is made up of councillors and members of the agricultural community. It advises the county and the province on agriculture related issues and concerns.
