DiD you know?• Dairy cows are under regular care of licensed veterinarians.

• Sick animals may need medication to restore their health.

• Testing ensures we have a safe and healthy food supply.

a commitment to milk qualityantibiotic use and its role in ensuring safe, wholesome milk

Safe milk Supply iS top priorityWhen you walk into a supermarket these days, you’re faced with a dizzying array

of choices:

Fat-free.

Low fat.

Sugar-free.

Low carb.

High fiber.

Sometimes, product labels meant to help you make food purchase decisions only

add to the confusion.

For example, you may have seen milk or dairy products labeled “antibiotic-free.”

The truth is: All dairy products are wholesome and safe for consumption.

If a sick dairy cow needs to be treated with antibiotics or other medications to

restore her health, her milk and meat are tested to ensure they are safe to enter the

food supply. All dairy animals are under the regular care of licensed veterinarians

who prescribe antibiotics when necessary and advise dairy producers on how to use

them properly.

In fact, everyone involved with dairy production — from the producer to the milk

processor — takes responsibility to ensure that dairy products are wholesome and safe.

On the pages that follow, a veterinarian, dairy producer and Zoetis veterinarian share

how they do their part to make sure antibiotics are used safely and responsibly on

dairy operations.

Veterinarian: my job iS keeping animalS healthyBy Andy Borrowman, DVM

My duty as a veterinarian begins the day a calf is born and does not end until

that animal leaves my client’s dairy. I am involved with every aspect of animal health

management from employee training to investigating disease problems to surgeries.

The roles I play on dairies are diverse, yet my goals are simple: to maintain the

overall health of the cow and to help the dairy be profitable. No one wants a sick cow,

so we practice preventive medicine.

I work with clients to set up protocols for using vaccines and antibiotics.

My responsibilities include selecting products, providing medicine administration

instructions, recommending follow-up care and training employees on proper product use.

Vaccines are used to protect cows from illness.

Yet, they do not always provide complete protection and

sometimes cows can get sick. We have to step in and help

these cows. It is our duty to take care of these animals as

best we can.

Antibiotics are extremely valuable to me in veterinary

medicine. They work by weakening and slowing the growth

of bacteria, to help the animal’s immune system eliminate

the infectious agent. They can take an animal that is in pain

and help her make a rapid recovery.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must

approve antibiotics before they are marketed. And, once approved, prescription

antibiotics can be used only under the guidance of a veterinarian. If an antibiotic is

administered to help a sick cow, her milk is not allowed to enter the food supply until

the antibiotic has sufficiently cleared the animal’s system.

During this withholding period, the cow’s milk is discarded. The withholding

period ensures that traces of antibiotics do not end up in milk or dairy products found

in grocery stores.

I firmly believe that our dairy production system includes high standards and

proper checkpoints. I have four young children who drink milk every day. I serve my

children milk without any fear or reservations.

andy borrowman, DVm, (at right) is

a dairy veterinarian at Vet logic inc.

in nampa, idaho. Dr. borrowman

trains clients on how to recognize

cow health problems and intervene

early to help them recover.

Dairy proDucer: our cowS get top-notch careBy Jon Wheeler

As manager of Oord Dairy, animal welfare is my primary responsibility. I take

great pride in working with employees to take top-notch care of our cows. Healthy,

comfortable cows reward us with high-quality milk.

Scott Kieser, DVM, our herd veterinarian, visits our dairy every week and is

involved in every aspect of cow care. We work together to set up written protocols for

vaccination, disease treatment and other herd health management practices.

Team leaders and Dr. Kieser train employees so they understand how and when

to use important tools like antibiotics. They understand the importance of following

label directions and keeping good records.

We do our best to prevent illness through our

vaccination program written by Dr. Kieser. But just like

people, cows occasionally will get sick. When they do,

we are fortunate to be able to use antibiotics to help

them recover.

Antibiotics help shorten the duration of

bacteriological infections and avoid the suffering — or

possible death — of a sick cow. When an animal becomes

ill, we feel it is our responsibility to use antibiotics so it can

recover quickly.

Employees constantly monitor cow health and watch

for signs of illness. We immediately move sick cows to a separate facility away from the

milking herd. In the hospital area, cows are treated promptly. All information is entered

into a computer, so there’s a permanent treatment record.

We do not use any prescription antibiotics without the consent of Dr. Kieser.

Employees treat animals with the most effective product for the illness based on

Dr. Kieser’s protocols. Once an animal recovers, we wait the appropriate length of time

to ensure any antibiotics clear the cow’s system before we sell her milk.

To ensure that we are in full compliance with withholding periods, we also test

our milk before it leaves the dairy. Every load of milk sold is tested multiple times along

the supply chain for traces of antibiotics as required by state and government agencies.

If milk or dairy products test positive for traces of antibiotics, they are destroyed and

offenders are faced with steep fines.

jon wheeler with his granddaughter

at oord Dairy in Sunnyside, wash.

the dairy, owned by henry oord,

is home to 6,500 cows. wheeler

manages 70 employees who care

for the animals.

pharmaceutical company: our focuS iS Dairy wellneSS By Roger Saltman, DVM, Group Director, Cattle Technical Services, Zoetis

At Zoetis, we understand consumer concerns about food safety and are committed

to ensuring a safe, sustainable food supply from healthy animals.

As head of the Technical Services group, I lead more than 50 Zoetis veterinarians

who work with dairy producers and veterinarians across the country to ensure that

antibiotics are used judiciously with the goals of keeping animals healthy and producing

wholesome dairy products.

Our team helps dairy producers and veterinarians develop comprehensive protocols

to improve every aspect of dairy management, every day. We help them make decisions

that are right for healthy animals, healthy dairies and healthy food. This commitment to

dairy wellness helps lead to a safe and wholesome food supply.

The Zoetis commitment to dairy wellness also extends into product development.

Our company invests in leading-edge research to develop

new technologies that meet the needs of the entire

dairy production system. Seven hundred scientists,

headquartered at the Zoetis Veterinary Medicine Research

and Development Division in Kalamazoo, Mich., spearhead

our research efforts.

Before it is approved for sale, a new antibiotic must

go through an extensive, tightly regulated development

process. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees

this process for pharmaceuticals, while the U.S. Department

of Agriculture (USDA) oversees vaccines. These agencies evaluate all available data to

answer these questions:

1) Is the product safe in the cow?

2) When withdrawal times are followed, are the milk and meat safe for

consumption?

3) Is the product effective when used according to the label?

4) Can the product be manufactured consistently and with no negative

environmental impacts?

This review process typically takes a minimum of seven years before a product

can enter the market. Zoetis funds continuing research on these products, even after

they are approved for sale. Our goal is to provide pharmaceutical products that protect

both animal and human health.

roger Saltman, DVm,

(at right) heads the

Zoetis technical Services group. he

helps producers and veterinarians

identify and solve health issues

on dairies.

milk’S journey from Dairy cow to Dairy caSeQuality monitoring continues at every step, from the time milk leaves the dairy operation

until it reaches the dairy case in the supermarket.

Step 1: milking

Dairy producers strive to produce the highest-quality milk possible. Employees clean and sanitize the cow’s udder before applying milking machines. Equipment is cleaned and sanitized after each use.

Checkpoints: Milk from any cow treated with antibiotics is withheld from sale until it is tested safe. When milk is picked up from the dairy, samples are collected and milk is tested to ensure its safety before it is unloaded at the receiving station. All facilities that handle the milk are regularly inspected and audited by the regulatory agency to ensure they meet provisions of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance.

Step 2: tranSporting

Milk is transported in a tanker truck with insulated stainless steel tanks to keep the milk cold. All tanks are cleaned and sanitized every time they are emptied.

Checkpoints: Milk truck drivers are accredited and evaluate the milk based on temperature, appearance and odor.

Step 3: receiVing

Milk goes to a receiving station at the processing plant or it may go to a transfer facility where it is stored, kept cool and prepared for further transport. All stations keep daily records, identifying each load so milk from each dairy can be tracked.

Checkpoints: Milk samples are taken from the truck upon arrival at the stations. Lab employees analyze the milk using an approved antibiotic test specified by the FDA. Milk must pass this test before unloading at the plant.

Step 5: packaging

The milk is now ready for packaging. Milk travels through enclosed stainless steel pipes to automatic packaging machines that fill and seal the milk into the appropriate containers.

Checkpoints: As packaged milk moves through the assembly line, a date is printed on the container to show how long the milk will stay fresh. Milk will not be sold if it has passed the expiration date printed on the package. Plant quality control testing ensures package integrity and weight.

Step 4: proceSSing

When milk passes other quality tests and is approved for use, it is pumped into a storage silo where it is separated, homogenized and pasteurized.

Checkpoints: As milk is processed, laboratory checks evaluate the color, odor, appearance, temperature and taste of milk. Tests also are done to ensure proper pasteurization.

Step 6: Selling

Once packaged, milk is ready to move to the store shelf. It is transported in refrigerated trucks and is stored in refrigerated rooms until it makes its way to the dairy case.

Checkpoints: State regulatory agencies and the FDA conduct randomized testing of milk that is on grocery store shelves to make sure it meets all of their standards.

milk quality iS a ShareD reSponSibilityWhen you pull a gallon of milk from your local dairy case, you may not realize

that milk is one of the most highly regulated of all food products.

At every step from the dairy farm to your table, many individuals take responsibility

for ensuring a safe, wholesome food supply — all under the oversight of the Food and

Drug Administration (FDA).

• Veterinarians prescribe and oversee the use of antibiotics that have been evaluated

and approved by the FDA.

•Dairy producers follow strict FDA regulations and guidelines for antibiotic use.

• Pharmaceutical companies submit results of extensive product safety research to

the FDA, and help dairy producers and veterinarians use antibiotics properly.

• Milk processors monitor and test the milk supply to make sure it is safe and

wholesome for you and your family.

ANIMALSHEALTHY HEALTHY

DAIRIES FOODHEALTHY

zoetisUS.com 888-ZOETIS1 (888-963-8471) All trademarks are the property of Zoetis Inc., its affiliates and/or its licensors. ©2013 Zoetis Inc. All rights reserved. GDR13268