7/20/2010 9:25:47 AM

A significant change is happening in the calf milk replacer industry. In August 2009, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published new regulations for how the combination of neomycin and oxytetracycline (neo/oxy) can be used in calf feeds. Feeds manufactured under the previous regulation with a 2 to1 ratio of neo-oxy must be out of retail distribution by October 2, 2010. These products must be replaced with new, compliant products.

In September 2008, Milk Products was the first to introduce new, compliant scours treatment products in the market place under the Sav-A-Caf brand: Scours & Pneumonia Treatment and Scours & Pneumonia Treatment Concentrate. As the names suggest, these new products treat both scours and pneumonia due to the higher medication levels of neo-oxy. “We have developed the most effective FDA compliant products on the market today, which give both dairy and beef producers several options for treating scours and pneumonia,” commented Dave Kuehnel, President of Milk Products.

The biggest difference for calf raisers and dairy and beef producers is how milk replacers and medicated concentrates can be fed to calves. Until now, milk replacers medicated with neo-oxy have been routinely fed continuously to calves for prevention or treatment of bacterial scours. Going forward, the FDA has mandated that these highly medicated treatment products can only be used when a calf becomes sick, and can be fed continuously for 7 – 14 days.

Sav-A-Caf® Scours & Pneumonia Treatment Milk Replacer and Concentrate products are available now for purchase. Please visit savacaf.com or call 800-657-0793 for more information.