CASE STUDY: Handling and management of animal health products by Idaho producers and retailers1

Idaho beef producers and animal health product retailers participated in a study to gather data on the handling and management of animal health products. Data loggers were placed in 176 refrigerators (129 producers' and 47 retailers') recording temperatures in 10-min intervals for a minimum of 48 h. The approximate age, type, and location of the producers' refrigerators were recorded, along with where the products were stored in the refrigerator. An inventory of each producers' refrigerator was taken, with expired and opened products recorded. Almost one-third (31%) of the producers' refrigerators maintained the recommended temperature range of 2 to 7°C > 95% of the time, and one-third (33.3%) of the producers' refrigerators maintained the recommended temperature range < 5% of the time. Thirty-four percent of the retailers' refrigerators were within the recommended temperature range > 95% of the time, and 17.0% were in the range < 5% of the time. In addition to temperature readings and refrigerator characteristics being documented, surveys of producers and retailers were also conducted. The producer surveys showed 93.8% of producers used the neck area of beef cattle for injections, 87.6% mixed modified-live vaccines as needed and protected them from sunlight, whereas 93.8% kept vaccines in a cooler. The retailer surveys showed 44.0% had thermometers to monitor refrigerator temperatures, and 41.0% did not monitor their refrigerators. Sixty percent of retailers trained their employees to handle animal health products, and 67.0% trained their employees to answer questions about animal health products.