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Janssen says VMD enforcement of legislation will restrict poultry worming options
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has confirmed that medicated feed supplements, which need to be mixed in greater than 30kg of animal feed (Schedule 5 products), can no longer be supplied to veterinary practices, pharmacists or animal health retailers for them to sell, unless they register as approved distributors of Schedule 5 products - Category 8 on the Register of approved Retailers Premises.
Most retail outlets do not register as Category 8 distributors because they do not sell significant quantities of these products. There is also a cost involved in registering that makes it unattractive to most merchants.
Furthermore, registered retailers are only able to sell medicated pre-mixtures for mixing into more than 30kg of feed to customers who are specifically registered with the VMD to mix these into animal foods.
According to Janssen Animal Health, this bureaucratic move will mean that thousands of poultry owners have to change the way they worm in the future.
In the past, many poultry keepers with small to medium-sized flocks have used the company's Flubenvet 2.5% Medicated Premixture 240 gram pack. But it will no longer be possible to do so, unless individuals (or companies) are approved and registered to mix medicines into feed.
Confirming the changed requirements, Janssen vet, Nigel Underwood, said: "We are advising all poultry keepers of this legislation. We must comply with the law and are simply not able to supply unregistered wholesalers, merchants, pharmacies or vet practices with medicated pre-mixtures unless they are approved.
"However, the 60-gram domestic poultry pack of Flubenvet 1%, which is suitable for treating around 20 chickens, has been developed specifically for the smaller poultry owner and is exempt from the legislation. It is available from vets, pharmacists and suitably qualified animal health advisers and poultry owners do not have to be registered to use it."
For further information, including a free leaflet on poultry worming, email ahealth@its.jnj.com or telephone 01494 567555.
Published: 25 Aug 2009
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Tags: Farm animal, News, Products & Launches, Small animal
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