Farms.com Home   News

Last-Minute Advice From Dr. AJ Tarpoff As The Clock Ticks Down For The VFD Going Live Next Month

As producers prepare for the Veterinary Feed Directive to go live in less than a month, Farm Director Ron Hays reached out to Dr. AJ Tarpoff, Kansas State University extension veterinarian, to get some last-minute clarification on some of his most frequently asked questions raised by producers.



“One of the first questions that typically get is, it’s understanding, ‘can I use one VFD authorization to shop around at multiple mills or distributors,” Tarpoff said. “And, the answer is no.”

He explains that one VFD order is written and it only goes to one distributor, generally whichever one you typically do business with. That’s your preference. If you happen to find a better deal out there and wish to change where you do business, Tarpoff says you will have to close out the existing VFD order and have your veterinarian write another for the new distributor. In many ways, VFD orders act much like a prescription, says Tarpoff.

“The VFD, it’s an authorization over a period of time,” Tarpoff clarifies. “The authorizations can be written for upwards of six months, and it’s not realistic for a producer to have to buy a six months’ worth supply all at one time.”


 

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Measuring Methane Emissions From Cattle with Unique Technologies

Video: Measuring Methane Emissions From Cattle with Unique Technologies

PhD Student Madison Kindberg, and Air Quality Specialist and Professor, Dr. Frank Mitloehner explain the unique Cattle Pen Enclosures and how they will capture emissions from cattle using state of the art technology. The enclosures are well equipped with one-way airflow fans, smart scales, and smart feeds that can tell you what an animal ate, when they ate and how much they ate. All enclosures are connected to one mobile air quality lab which uses gas monitors and analyzers to collect precision data. This data will be used to determine if an early-life methane reducing bolus can reduce emissions from cattle long-term.