The U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Cephalosporin
Use: How Will This New Rule Affect KY Dairy Producers? Part II
By: Michelle Arnold, DVM Printable Version Cephalosporins are
very effective antimicrobial agents used in human and veterinary
medicine. The FDA issued an order that prohibits certain uses of
the cephalosporin class of antimicrobial drugs in cattle, swine,
chickens and turkeys effective April 5, 2012. Two cephalosporin
drugs are currently approved for use in dairy cows: ceftiofur
and cephapirin. Trade names of ceftiofur used in dairy cattle
include EXCEDE®, NAXCEL® , CEFTIFLEX®, EXCENEL® RTU,
SPECTRAMAST® LC and DC. The preparations containing cephapirin
are Today®, Tomorrow®, Cefa-Lak® and Cefa-Dry®. In its order,
FDA is prohibiting what are called “extra-label” or unapproved
uses of cephalosporins due to the possibility of creating
resistant strains of harmful bacteria. The term “extralabel use”
refers to use of an approved drug in an animal in any manner
that does not follow the app