THE REPORTED USE OF DRUGS TO PREVENT DISEASES IN BEEF-CATTLE IN TENNESSEE

The National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) (Round 2) for Ten nessee collected baseline data on the preventive (as opposed to therap eutic) use of drugs from 60 beef cow-calf herds selected by a random, stratified, two-stage sampling plan. Counties were selected randomly w ith replacement for three herd-size strata, and herds were selected wi thin counties by an area-frame method. Data were collected during mont hly interviews for 1 year (1987-1988). Tennessee beef cattle were medi cated with 31 drugs to prevent diseases. The drugs most frequently use d were anthelmintics and insecticides. The diseases against which prev entive drugs were most frequently used were external parasites, intest inal parasites, 'pink eye' (keratoconjunctivitis), anaplasmosis, and r espiratory infections. Ivermectin was the most frequently used anthelm intic and the most frequently used drug. Levamisole, fenbendazole, and thiabendazole were also frequently used anthelmintics. The most frequ ently used insecticides were the organophosphates (including fenthion. dichlorvos, and stirofos). Antimicrobials seldom were used, suggestin g that prophylactic antimicrobial use in Tennessee beef cattle may not be a major public-health concern.