In assessing drug needs for special-fed veal production, an understanding of the source and management of the animals is important. Veal production is based on an "all-in, all-out" method of obtaining animals and marketing. The number of calves in a group may vary from 60 to over 200, with the calf room filled within a few days or all at one time. A group of 100 calves may be from up to 100 different dairy farms via five or more livestock auction markets. The primary health impairments are respiratory and enteric, with sporadic incidences of navel and ear infections. These health impairments generally occur before the 8th week of the 19- to 21 -week production cycle, allowing 11 to 13 week between the end of the drug use period and calf marketing/processing. Few medications are labeled for use in veal: amoxicillin (as a bolus or soluble powder), ampicillin (as a bolus or injectable suspension), penicillin (by injection) and decoquinate (coccidiostat in commercial feeds). All other drugs required by veal calves must be given under the extra-label use of drugs (ELUD) provision by a veterinarian practicing in a valid veterinarian/client/patient relationship (VCPR). Although ELUD can assure proper availability of drugs for specific needs within the veal production system, it is dependent upon continuation of the ELUD provision that is necessary to enhance or maintain animal health and wellbeing. However, the use of drugs that are not approved, even those used with the advice of the herd veterinarian, is not as conducive to production method or product acceptance by the public as if the drugs had successfully completed the approval process and were labeled. Factors related to drug use, the Veal Quality Assurance Program (VQAP) addresses management practices that determine meat product safety, animal well being, and profitability. The revised VQAP contains several changes from the original program initiated in 1989 when the violative residue level was 0.89% (FSIS, 1991). In 1994, there were no violative levels of antibiotic residues and only one violative level of Ivermectin observed in special-fed veal carcasses (frequency of 0.075%). The revised VQAP initiated in February 1996 is based on completion of a quality assurance checklist, and farm plan assessment by the herd veterinarian. The revised program also includes supplier certification, which assures that providers of supplies for veal production use good manufacturing practices [GMP].
