When antibiotic treatment is required in a lactating dairy cow, there are both clinical and practical implications for the farm. One of the most important is milk withdrawal.

Milk from a treated cow must be excluded from the food chain for the authorised withdrawal period. For the farmer, this means segregating milk that would otherwise contribute to the bulk tank, with an associated operational and commercial impact.

Where amoxicillin is an appropriate treatment choice, RedyMox 150 mg/ml offers a short-acting amoxicillin suspension for injection with a 24-hour milk withdrawal period for cattle in the UK (48 hour milk withdrawal for Ireland).

This can provide a practical advantage in dairy practice by limiting the period for which milk must be withheld following treatment.

Why does a 24-hour milk withdrawal matter?

Every additional day that milk is withheld has practical and commercial consequences for a dairy enterprise.

The treated cow needs to be identified and managed appropriately, milk must be segregated from the bulk tank, and the commercial value of that milk is lost for the duration of the withdrawal period.

Where RedyMox is clinically appropriate, a 24-hour milk withdrawal period can therefore offer tangible benefits for the dairy client:

• Less time out of the bulk tank, milk can return to the food chain once the authorised withdrawal period has been completed.
• Reduced volume of withheld milk, a shorter withdrawal period can reduce the volume of milk that cannot be sold.
• Reduced commercial impact, fewer milkings excluded from sale can help limit the financial impact associated with treating a lactating cow.
• Simpler on-farm management, a clearly defined 24-hour period supports treatment records, cow identification and milk segregation.

For a high-yielding dairy cow in particular, the volume and value of withheld milk can be significant. Withdrawal period can therefore be an important practical and commercial consideration when discussing clinically appropriate treatment options with dairy clients.

Clinical choice comes first

The commercial implications of milk withdrawal are important, but withdrawal period should not determine antibiotic selection in isolation.

The first consideration is the clinical requirement of the cow and whether amoxicillin is an appropriate treatment for the bacterial infection concerned.

Where amoxicillin is clinically appropriate, the characteristics of the authorised medicine, including its dosing schedule and withdrawal period, can then be considered as part of the overall treatment plan.

This allows veterinary professionals to address the clinical needs of the animal while also considering the practical and commercial implications of treatment within a dairy herd.

For more information on the short-acting suspension for injection containing 150 mg/ml amoxicillin go to RedyMox

Written by Forte Healthcare Veterinary Technical Team.