Welcome to Youth Beef Quality Assurance! The Use of Injectable Animal Health Products.

Welcome to Youth Beef Quality Assurance!

The Use of Injectable Animal Health Products

Why is it important to know about how to give my beef animal injections?

Injectable health products are important in keeping your animals healthy. They can be used to treat infections and disease or to prevent problems in

the future.

There are risks, if not used properly. They can cause residues of drugs in the meat, bruising, lesions, and blemishes that result in a lower quality meat.

BUT…

As a beef producer, it is important that you understand how to appropriately use injected

drugs on your cattle, so you can provide healthy meat to your consumers.

Get Started!

Let’s Learn About How to Properly Use Injections on Your Beef Cattle!

Proper Injection Sites

Withdrawal Times

Extra-label Drug Use

Proper Injection SitesAlthough medications are beneficial for animal treatment, injections into

the muscle reduces tenderness of the meat and may cause bruises or lesions.

Click on cow to see a picture of meat with drug lesions.

Lesions in meat must be trimmed and cut out, resulting in lost meat and money.

It is important to avoid giving injections in areas where high quality meat cuts will be made since this will result in economic loss.

Click on the buttons to see where the most expensive cuts of meat are located on the cow.


Click on the different cuts to see where the most expensive cuts of meat are located on the cow.

The chuck primal cut

provides pot roast, stew meat, and

ground meat. It is generally

more tough and lower quality. It

is the least expensive primal cut.





The rib primal cut provides

prime rib and rib eye steaks.

And It is generally quite tender. It is a higher quality

and most expensive primal cut.





The round primal cut

provides mostly roasts. It is

generally quite a little tough, but flavorful

and quality. It is more expensive

primal cut.

From what you have learned, where do you think you should give an injection to

a cow?

Click on the appropriate region with your cursor.

Your animal just lost an expensive cut of meat because of lesions!!

Oh, No!!

Try Again

You should always give injections in the triangle area in front of the shoulder.

You’re Right!!!

Injections into the ear have also recently been approved since the ears are removed

at harvest.

Now that you know where to give your animal an injection, how do you give it to them?

There is more than one way to give an injection. You can give an injection that is subcutaneous or you can give an injection that is intramuscular.

Click on the subcutaneous and intramuscular regions to learn more.

subcutaneous

intramuscular

Subcutaneous(sub) – underneath(cutaneous) – skin

Subcutaneous simply means below the skin. Subcutaneous injections are given below the skin, but not into the muscle.

Subcutaneous simply means below the skin. Subcutaneous injections are given below the skin, but not into the muscle.

Click the tent picture above to see a video of the technique.

Now that you know where to give your animal an injection, how do you give it to them?

There is more than one way to give an injection. You can give an injection that is subcutaneous or you can give an injection that is intramuscular.

Depending on the drug type, subcutaneously or intramuscularly. ALWAYS follow directions on the drug label on which form to use.

Click on the subcutaneous and intramuscular regions to learn more.

subcutaneous

intramuscular

Intramuscular(intra)- inside

(muscular)- muscleIntramuscular simply means within the muscle.

Drugs given intramuscularly are absorbed more quickly than those given subcutaneously because there is more blood supply under the skin.

Where should he give a vaccination of penicillin? Bovine Viral Disease vaccination?

Penicillin in front of the shoulder, BVD in rump

Penicillin in rump, BVD in flank

Both in the rump

Both in front of the shoulder

Farmer John has decided he needs to give his cattle their yearly vaccinations. Can you help him decide how he should do this?

Matt the meat packer Facebooked Farmer John. All of his cows had tough and bruised meat!

Oh, No!!

Try Again

Thanks!!!

You’re smart. I sure am thankful for your help. My

cows did great!

Farmer John is out of longer needles. The drug label says to give the injection subcutaneously. Does he need to go buy more longer needles?

NO

YES

Farmer John accidentally gave his cows intramuscular injections with the longer needles!

Whoops!!!

The muscle is below the subcutaneous tissue. You need longer needles for Intramuscular injections!

Try Again

Thanks!!!You were right!

Thanks for saving me some

money!

SQ injections are right under the skin. You don’t need longer needles like you would if you were injecting into the muscle.



Withdrawal Times


What is a Withdrawal Time?Withdrawal periods reflect the amount of time necessary for an animal to metabolize an administered product and the amount of time necessary for the product concentration level in the tissues to decrease to a safe, acceptable level.

If the appropriate withdrawal time is

not observed, there is a risk that the drugs that were

given to the animal may be consumed by

humans!

The FDA regulates the withdrawal times based on how long the drug will stay in tissues (fat and muscle) before it is excreted from the animal.

FDA Regulations

Follow the path of two different drugs

Drug A

Drug B

Click on Drug A button to see the path of its withdrawal time

Drug A – Day One

Muscle Tissue Fat Tissue

Drug A residue

Drug A – Day Two


Some of the drug residue has been

excreted

Drug A – Day Three


ALL of the drug residue has been

excreted

Follow the path of two different drugs

Drug A

Drug B

Now, let’s compare Drug B

Drug B – Day One


Drug B residue

Drug B – Day Two



excreted

Drug B – Day Three



excreted

Drug B – Day Four



excreted

Drug B – Day Five


ALL of the drug residue has been

excreted

Drug A Drug BTook 3 days to be completely eliminated

Took 5 days to be completely eliminated

Withdrawal Time = 4 days Withdrawal Time= 6 days

The FDA based the withdrawal times on how long it took each drug to be completely out of the cow’s system. This ensures that there will be no drug residue in meat that is put into the food system.

I have a question!

Farmer John gave his cows Drug X today. Given the drug label below, help farmer John decide how long he should wait before bringing his cows to market.

Drug XActive IngredientsDrug 1Drug 2Drug 3

WithdrawalLactating goats no withdrawal, Meat Goats 25 days, Beef Cattle 32 days

32 days

25 days

14 days

No withdrawal

Oh, No!!

Farmer John’s cows had drug residues in their T-bone steaks! He did not observe the

appropriate withdrawal time!

Try Again

Farmer John’s cows made healthy, residue-free steaks! He observed the correct drug

withdrawal times.

YUM!!



Withdrawal Times


Extra-Label Drug Use

Extra-label drug use is the use of drugs other than how is directed on the label.

When is it appropriate?

When is it NOT appropriate?

It is only appropriate to use drugs in a way other than what is on the label, when advised by a veterinarian. They understand when it is necessary to use drugs in ways other than listed on the label.

Click on the Veterinarian to see one example of when extra-

label drug use is appropriate

Your heifer has an upper respiratory infection. You should treat her with both Drug A and Drug B. However, since these drugs will interact with each other, you should use Drug A

intramuscularly even though the label says to give it

subcutaneously.

The veterinarian may have several reasons to recommend extra-label drug use. He has many years of schooling and knows when it is appropriate.

When is it appropriate?

When is it NOT appropriate?

When it is NOT Appropriate

When the drug is being used to enhance performance and appearance for fairs or

shows.

When YOU think that the label is not right. If you think the label directions are

wrong, contact your veterinarian for advice.

When Extra-label Drug use is Appropriate

When Extra-label Drug use is NOT appropriate

When advised by your veterinarian When drugs are used not according to the label to enhance meat production.

AGAIN, when advised by your veterinarian.

When you think the directions are not right.

Quick Review

You do what your boss tells you to do. You give the calves Drug A.

You tell Farmer John he is stupid and that Drug A cannot be given to calves. You refuse to give Drug A.

You show Farmer John the Drug label. You suggest that he call the veterinarian to make sure it is appropriate to give Drug A to calves.

You do not give Drug A to the calves. You do not tell Farmer John that you did not give the calves their injections.

You have been hired by Farmer John. He has asked you to give subcutaneous injections of Drug A to all of his calves, but when you read the drug label it says that Drug A should only be given to fully

mature cows. What do you do?

Oh, No!!

The calves have a reaction to Drug A. They become sick! Although it is important to follow directions from your boss, it is more important

to voice up when you know something is wrong.

Try Again

Oh, No!!

You were fired. There is a better way to communicate your concern.

Try Again

You did the right thing!!

Great Job!!

Oh, No!!

The calves needed an injection! It is always important to tell the truth, especially when it

can affect the life of another being.

Try Again

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Assurance Program

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