Subject: Advice to producers, veterinarians and animal nutritionists regarding the use of growth promoting antimicrobial drug products

Veterinary Drugs Directorate
Holland Cross Complex
Ground floor, Suite 14
11 Holland Avenue
Address Locator: 3000A
Ottawa, ON K1A OK9

January 29, 2007

Dear Stakeholder:

OTTAWA - The Canadian Animal Health Institute (CAHI) in collaboration with Health Canada's Veterinary Drugs Directorate (VDD) is advising Canadian producers that use of antimicrobials for growth promotion and/or improvement in feed efficiency should be evaluated periodically for efficacy. Levels of improvements in production performance which were originally demonstrated in registration studies for antimicrobial growth promotants, may not be achieved within modern husbandry systems.

Food animal producers are encouraged to contact their veterinarian and/or feed nutritionist to discuss growth performance evaluation programs appropriate for their operations. Food animal producers should consider removing antimicrobial growth promotants from feeds if they determine that improvement in animal health and performance from use of these products has not occurred following evaluation.

Producers, veterinarians or nutritionists requiring more information can contact VDD's public information line at 613-321-4239 or the CAHI at (519) 763-7777.

Sincerely,

Siddika Mithani, Ph.D
Director General