Regardless of the production methods incorporated on a facility, records of all drugs used
including immunizations, anthelmintics (dewormers), antibiotics, implants, etc. should be
recorded. Farmers are encouraged to keep and maintain records on all animals for pertinent
production parameters, vaccinations given, and any other drug treatments.
Health treatment records are necessary to prevent the harvest of animals prior to completion of
safe, legal withdrawal periods. The drug withdrawal period is the time lapse required after
administration of a pharmaceutical, to assure that drug residues in the marketable product are
below a pre-determined safe maximum residue limit (MRL)). Records on chemical use, feed and
drug purchase, etc., can also help safeguard an operation should questions arise concerning
animals sold.
For individuals with one or two backyard animals, or for those keeping individual records for
animals, record keeping can be as simple as recording:
•Origin information and date (record who the animal was purchased from or if the
animal was born at your facility. If the animal was not born at your facility, obtain
record of birth from the place of origin.)
• Sire and Dam identification
• Immunizations, date and dosage
• Parasite tests, date and results
• Parasite treatment, date and dosage
• Feed quantity and type
• Injuries and illnesses (cause and treatment, including dosages)
• Weight or size, at time of sale
• Disposition information (death, personal use or private sale, and price received)
When livestock are processed as a group, all livestock within the group shall be identified as
such, and the following information recorded:
• Group or lot identification.
• Date treated.
• Product administered and manufacturer’s lot/serial number.
• Dosage used.
• Route and location of administration.
• Earliest date animals will have cleared withdrawal period.
• Weight or size, at time of sale
• Disposition information (death, personal use or private sale- include date, contact
information of new owner or processing plant, and price received)
All livestock shipped to slaughter will be checked by appropriate personnel to assure that
animals that have been treated meet or exceed label or prescription withdrawal times for all
animal health products administered. All processing and treatment records should be transferred
with the livestock to the next production level. Prospective buyers must be informed of any
livestock that have not met withdrawal times.
Another suggested tip for producers is to keep notes on all stock that goes to slaughter; i.e.: kill
weight, dressed weight or percentage, grade of meat, price received, etc. This information can
prove helpful for fine-tuning management or providing records for filing tax forms at year’s end.
Records are only functional when they are complete and accurate. A periodic review of records
and record keeping methods will help catch mistakes and oversights while they can still be easily
corrected. A suggested management practice would be to review records quarterly.
Treatment records should be kept for a minimum of 2 years (3 years of records are required if the
farm uses any Restricted Use Pesticides. Be aware that while not all processing facilities may
require treatment records on animals, if a problem arises then the farmer will be held
accountable, and will be required to submit livestock records showing any products given to their
animals for the previous two years and the sale of individual animals to and from the farm.
