Pharmacology and cows:The whys, do's, and don'ts of drug use

摘要

MILK and meat are our products, but we work with animals, living beings that require care and management 1 to ensure their welfare. One of our tools includes medications. In the U.S., in order for a drug to be used legally in dairy cows or other animals (including human beings), it must be approved for use by the FDA. In addition, for drugs to be used in food animals, the manufacturer must perform tests to determine appropriate posttreatment periods in which milk, meat, or both cannot be sold or consumed. For new drugs, the testing required to gain FDA approval typically takes many years and costs millions of dollars. All drugs modify the physiology or body functions of the animal or the disease-causing organisms. Antibiotic or anti-parasitic drugswork by interfering with a process necessary for the life of the infectious organisms such as the formation of cell walls, the creation of proteins, or the performance of key metabolic or reproductive processes. Some drugs mimic substances produced by the cow. An example would be the hormone drugs used in synchronization protocols.