March 6, 2007

US-FDA set to approve controversial cattle drug
 

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is poised to approve a drug this spring, which has been the centre of controversy in the US cattle market.

The drug cefquinome, made by InterVet Inc from Millsboro, Delaware, is the first fourth generation antibiotic to be allowed in the US cattle if approved. 

The company wants the FDA approval for the drug to help fight pneumonia-like and other respiratory infections in cattle.

Cefquinome belongs to a fourth generation class of antibiotics known as cephalosporins that are identified to be the most potent medication that can be used to treat most drug resistant bacterial infections.

The drug resistance is so much an issue that the FDA own scientific advisory committee known as the Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee voted early to recommend the agency not to approve the drug.

According to a USDA document titled "Antibiotic use in US livestock production", the country's 30 to 40 percent of cattle on the majority of the operations receive drugs in feed, water or orally for therapeutic purposes and or promotion of growth. The USDA report also said up to 40 percent of milk cows get drugs on as many as 80 percent of the operations.