Farm Safety Association, Inc.
Correct
storage and handling of livestock medicines helps prevent
contamination of meat and milk with drug residues.
Proper
storage facilities improve medication effectiveness and reduce
treatment errors. The ideal location for a storage unit is
a clean, dry, frost-free area, such as a farm office or utility
room. Animal health products should be protected from changes
in temperature, sunlight, dust, moisture, animals, and insects.
A clean, organized refrigerator makes an ideal drug storage
unit.
An example
of products affected by incorrect storage temperature are
teat dips containing the disinfectant chlorhexidine. These
may irritate skin if used after freezing and thawing has occurred.
Vaccines
containing modified live organisms will have markedly reduced
effectiveness if stored at room temperature.
Most
antibiotics are heat sensitive. Store these products in a
refrigerator at a temperature between 2° and 8°
C. to maintain potency. Many other products require storage
in a cool (below 15° C.) but non-refrigerated location.
Check product labels for information on acceptable storage
temperature.
Product
decomposition may result from exposure to light. Manufacturers
package light-sensitive products (e.g. injectable tetracyclines)
in light-resistant containers. These should be kept in a light-proof
storage unit.
Different
classes of products (e.g. antibiotics, vaccines, dewormers,
etc.) should be stored on separate shelves. This will further
reduce the potential for error in product selection. Label
shelves to maintain an organized storage unit.
Lock
storage units to prevent access by children or unauthorized
individuals.
The on-farm
veterinary medicine inventory should be managed according
to the following procedures:
- Purchase
drugs in quantities which will be used in a reasonable amount
of time.
- Check
product expiry dates before purchase.
- Clean
and reorganize the drug cabinet on a regular schedule.
- Use
products with older expiry dates first.
- Discard
all expired products.
Safe
disposal of livestock medicines is essential to protect farm
employees, family members, untreated livestock, and the environment
from accidental exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals.
Many
veterinarians and manufacturers will accept returns of products
at the location of purchase. In some municipalities, medicines
can be disposed of on "Household Hazardous Waste Days."
Animal
pesticides (e.g. dewormers, louse control products, etc.)
must be disposed of in an identical manner to crop pesticides.
Never
reuse livestock medicine containers. Store containers for
discarding in a way which prevents access by children, livestock
and pets. Most washed containers (with the exception of pesticide
containers) may be disposed of in landfill sites. Check with
your municipality.
Proper
storage and handling of veterinary medicines ensures drug
effectiveness and reduces potential for treatment error.
Consult
your veterinarian about preventive animal health management
and proper use of livestock medicines. Other excellent sources
of information on these subjects include local offices of
the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and the Canadian
Animal Health Institute in Guelph.
A
clean, organized refrigerator in a frost-free location makes
an excellent storage unit for livestock medicines.
Disclaimer
and Reproduction Information: Information in NASD does not represent
NIOSH policy. Information included in NASD appears by permission
of the author and/or copyright holder. More
NASD Review: 04/2002
Photo
credit:- OMAF photo.
Information
in the above article was derived from the OMAF Factsheet,
"Storage and Handling of Livestock Medicines on the Dairy
Farm."
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