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Missouri cattleman says VFD needs small producers’ attention
The Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) is top-of-mind for livestock producers. Smaller-scale cow/calf producers might have to pay close attention to what the changes mean for them. Missouri Cattlemen’s Association incoming president, Butch Meier tells Brownfield that some owners of average-sized herds, which, in Missouri is about 35 head, don’t have an ongoing relationship with a veterinarian.
“A lot of those mom and pop operations do not have a veterinarian on their staff or [one available] to hire unless they have an emergency in a calving situation or something where they actually need a veterinarian for help,” said Meier, who raises purebred Angus cattle in southeast Missouri.
That relationship is an integral part of the VFD, which requires authorization from a vet for a producer to get medicated feeds. It’s being discussed at the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association (MCA) meeting, along with how the cattle business is doing generally. Outgoing MCA president, Keith Stevens, tells Brownfield Ag News it’s been a good year.
“We’re starting to see some recovery on the prices,” said Stevens. “There have been a lot of things that have impacted that.”
The stockpile of animal protein seems to be increasing, according to Stevens.
“As always, when numbers are low, everybody ups their production,” he said, “so we’re seeing an increase in not just cattle numbers, but also in pork and chicken.”
The MCA’s annual meeting is at the Lake of the Ozarks.
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