Pharmaceuticals For A Farm
Every farm requires a series of basic care to ensure the health of the animals that live there. Among these precautions, pharmacological products stand out, which are essential in the prevention and cure of possible diseases.
Pharmacological products are part of the basic routines of a farm. For its proper choice and use, the owner of the place must have veterinary help. This must be legally established according to the country and the species treated.
This type of products, known as veterinary medicines, are intended to prevent and treat possible diseases that farm animals may contract. Mainly in the case of animals intended for human consumption.
Classification of veterinary pharmacological products
Depending on their properties, pharmacological products can be classified into:
- Antibiotics, to fight diseases caused by bacteria, fungi and viruses;
- Antiparasitic, to prevent and eradicate the presence of parasites;
- Vaccines, made with dead microorganisms that cause the disease. The goal is for the animal to generate the antibodies necessary to fight future contagion.
Regarding the format and route of administration, these drugs can be:
- Oral, as is the case with most antibiotics;
- Injectables, as with vaccines;
- Cutaneous, less common, through fumigation, etc.
With regard to antibiotics and vaccines, the choice will depend on what is stipulated by the veterinarian, according to the animal in question.
However, in general, among the pharmacological products of the antiparasitic type, which may be of interest to a farm, the following stand out:
- Harpoon designed to combat fly and lice pests. It is generally used on equine and bovine farms. Its active ingredient is cypermethrin and, depending on the species and weight of the animal, it will be applied more or less diluted.
- Zooveca. It is used in cattle farms against flies, lice, ticks, mites, through baths or passing through the animal’s body with more or less concentration, depending on the species.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply offers a series of good practice tips on the use of pharmacological products on farms, both for veterinarians and for the farmer.
In these documents, the responsible use of such products is mandatory, as no medication, and even more so antibiotics, is completely safe. They can cause changes in the animal and in the human being as the final consumer.
Other measures we should take into account
However, it is necessary to go beyond the pharmacological products indicated by the veterinarian according to the species and the specific characteristics of each cattle farm .
The owner of each farm must pay special attention to a series of protocols regarding the biosafety of the facilities with regard to:
- Water quality. Farms must have adequate purification systems and periodically carry out physical, chemical and microbiological controls. Mainly due to the contamination of coliform bacteria, frequent in pig feces.
- Cleaning and disinfection of enclosures. It is essential to prevent, among other things, cross-contamination between different “lots” of animals. For both processes to be effective, the chemical products and mechanical means used (cleaning utensils) are important, as well as the temperature and operating times.
- The hygiene of the staff. It must be very strict, as a measure to prevent any outbreak of disease, on and off the farm.
