You are ill and decide to make a doctor's appointment. Your doctor either hands you a prescription for medicine, or sends it electronically to a nearby pharmacy. You head to the pharmacy to get it filled. What you leave with is a piece of paper instructing you on how to use the drug, any drug interactions that may occur and who to contact if there is a problem. This January, farmers will leave their veterinarian's appointment with the same type of information. However, unlike the paper from the pharmacy that is tossed in the trash when the medicine runs out, the farmer must keep the veterinary feed directive (VFD) order for two years.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued rule changes on antibiotics use in livestock that go into effect Jan. 1, 2017. In essence, the FDA is eliminating production uses by making these label changes. FDA wants the antibiotics used solely for treatment, prevention or control of disease. Under the new rules, over-the-counter purchases will cease. However, the ruling only affects feed-grade and water-based antibiotics. In order to obtain antibiotics or feed-grade antimicrobials, livestock owners must have a VFD, a form that a veterinarian fills out. However, there is certain information that must be included in a VFD.

University of Missouri Extension swine veterinarian Corinne Bromfield says livestock producers need to know exactly what information is required on a VFD to make it valid.

Here are the 15 items, or pieces of information, that should be included in a VFD order, according to Bromfield:

1. Vet contact. The veterinarian's name, address and telephone number.
2. Client contact. The client's name, business or home address and telephone number.
3. Premises location. The premises at which the animals specified in the VFD are located.
4. Start date. The date the VFD is issued.
5. Stop date. The expiration date of the VFD. (Some drugs are 90 days, most are six months.)
6. Drug name(s). The name of the VFD drug or drugs.
7. Type of animal. The species and production class of animals to be fed the VFD feed. For instance, Bromfield says, the order may list gestating sows or feeder pigs.
8. Number of animals. The approximate number of animals to be fed the VFD feed by the expiration date of the VFD. "This gets a little hairy," Bromfield says. "You have pigs housed in a group, and some will be eating more and others less." After talking with the FDA, she found they want an approximate number. For instance, if the VFD states 2,000 pigs and the FDA comes out and you are feeding 2,010, that is OK. But if you are feeding 4,000 when the VFD says 2,000, well, that is not OK.
9. Animal health. The indication or reason for which the VFD is issued. "It needs to show what the drug is being used for," she explains. "It needs to read, for example, 'pneumonia.'"
10. Amount of dosage. The level of VFD drug in the feed and the duration of its use. Note: Duration is different from expiration date.
11. Special instructions. The withdrawal time, special instructions and cautionary statements necessary for use of the drug in conformance with the approval.
12. Refill number. The number of reorders or refills authorized, if permitted by the drug approval, conditional approval or index listing. Bromfield says this one is sticky, because currently not one drug on the list is approved for refills. "So until the FDA changes this, the number will be zero."
13. Warning. The statement, "Use of feed containing this veterinary feed directive (VFD) drug in a manner other than as directed on the labeling (extra-label use), is not permitted."
14. Drug interaction. An affirmation of intent for combination VFD drugs as described in the Code of Federal Regulations, or CFR 558.6(b)(6).
15. Signature. The veterinarian's electronic or written signature.