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Any feed product that contains approved animal drugs is a medicated feed. We have all become familiar over the years with various types of medications, Category I, Category II, and Type A, B and C medicated articles/feeds, as well as Over the Counter (OTC) medicated feeds. Congress recently established a new category, Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) medicated feeds.

Why VFD?
VFD medicated feeds will offer an alternative to prescription medications, so a producer can administer these medicated feeds to animals upon the advice of his or her veterinarian. The VFD also allows the feed industry to maintain current, sound practices in manufacturing and distributing feed.

VFD Approval
VFD products, like other animal medications, are approved by the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM). The determination of whether a product will be approved as a VFD medicated feed or as an OTC drug is made by the CVM.

The VFD Process
You, the producer, would contact your veterinarian to diagnose and treat a health problem. The veterinarian, under a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship determines that the use of a VFD medicated feed is necessary and issues the VFD by filling out a preprinted form supplied by the drug sponsor. You would present the form to your feed supplier who would manufacture and distribute the medicated feed in accordance with the VFD. A VFD feed may not be distributed to anyone without a signed VFD form.

The VFD Form

• Producer's name, address and phone number.
• Species, location, number and description of animals and the condition being treated.
• Date of treatment and, if different, date of issuing the VFD form.
• Name of the animal drug, level of the drug in the feed and the amount of feed.
• Directions for mixing and feeding, including dilution and amount or length of time to be fed, withdrawal time and any cautionary statements.
• Expiration date and number of refills, if permitted by approval.
• The veterinarian's name, address, license number, state of licensing and signature.

Record Keeping
VFD forms will be printed in a multi-copy format. You must retain a copy of the form for a minimum of two years. Copies also must be retained for at least two years by your veterinarian and your feed supplier. They must be available for review and copying by the FDA.