Extra Label Drug Use is defined by the United States Food and Drug Administration as: “Actual use or intended use of a drug in an animal in a manner that is not in accordance with the approved labeling. This includes, but is not limited to, use in species not listed in the labeling, use for indications (disease and other conditions) not listed in the labeling, use at dosage levels, frequencies, or routes of administration other than those stated in the labeling, and deviation from labeled withdrawal time based on these different uses.” http://www.farad.org
ELU of new animal drugs was considered illegal and permitted only as a matter of enforcement discretion until the passage of AMCUCA (Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act). AMDUCA amended the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, making it legal to use extralabel drugs by or under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian within a valid veterinary-client-patient relationship. It became effective in 1996. AMDUCA therefore allows veterinarians to prescribe uses of certain approved animal and human drugs for animals under specific conditions.
It is extremely important as a producer to develop a veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) with a local veterinarian. Working with your veterinarian will benefit your goat’s health as well as protect you and ensure consumer confidence in the food products you produce.
Goats are considered a minor species because they are not one of the 7 major food producing or economically dominant species (horses, cattle, pigs, dogs, cats, chickens, and turkeys). For this reason, the MUMS Act (Medicinal Uses in Minor Species Act) was developed to help expedite use of certain medications in the treatment of uncommon diseases. This enables pharmaceutical companies to get conditional approval, designation and indexing for certain drugs. Drugs currently in consideration under MUMS are: Eazi-breed CIDR (now legal for sheep), Bovatec ( a coccidiostat) and Draxxin (antibiotic). Use of these drugs will still require the supervision or consultation of your veterinarian for conditions for which there is not a labeled drug available.
The following table lists drugs approved for use in goats.
Drugs Approved For Use In Goats
| DRUG | TRADE NAME | DRUG AVAILABILITY | INDICATION | ROUTE | WITHDRAWAL MEAT/ MILK | EXTRA-LABEL | DOSAGE FORM |
| Albendazole | Valbazen | OTC | Dewormer | PO | 7 days | Lactating goats | Liquid suspension |
| Ceftiiofur Sodium | Naxcel | Rx | Antibiotic | INJECTION | 0 meat; 0 milk | Approved | IM Injection |
| Decoquinate | Deccox | OTC | Coccidiostat | PO | 0 meat; n/v milk | Approved | Premix |
| Fenbendazole | Panacur 10% Safeguard 10% | OTC | Dewormer | PO (caution within 30d breeding) | 14d meat; 120h milk | Approved | Liquid suspension |
| Monensin sodium | Coban 60 Rumensin | OTC | Coccidiostat | PO | 0 meat; n/v milk | Approved | Premix |
| Morantel Tartate | Rumatel | OTC | Dewormer | PO | 30d meat; n/v milk | Approved | Premix |
| Neomycin Sulfate | NEOMED 325 NEOMIX AG 325 NEOSOL NEO-ORAL | OTC | Water Additive Antimicrobial | PO | 3d meat; | Approved | Liquid or Powder |