EU inspectors critical of animal remedy records

EU inspectors have warned the Department of Agriculture to ensure that all medicinal treatments given to food producing animals are correctly recorded in on-farm registers, including clear identification of the animals treated.

Food and Veterinary Office officials made the recommendation after an inspection in Ireland last April to evaluate monitoring of residues and contaminants in livestock and livestock products.

They visited two farms and found deficiencies in the medicines record keeping. On both farms, treatment records were present but were not always complete or correct. Not all treatments were recorded, some withdrawal periods were wrongly entered, and in some cases, treated animals were not clearly identified.