Government of Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

RACTOPAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE -  MIB #82


Date Revised: 2009-11

Approved Brands

  1. PAYLEAN 20 PREMIX contains ractopamine hydrochloride at 20 g/kg (Elanco).
  2. OPTAFLEXX 100 PREMIX contains ractopamine hydrochloride at 100 g/kg (Elanco).

Approved for use

In meal or pellet feed for finishing barrows and gilts and finishing beef cattle only.

Note:

  1. PAYLEAN 20 PREMIX is approved for use in swine (barrows and gilts) feeds only.
  2. OPTAFLEXX 100 PREMIX is approved for use in confined finishing beef cattle feeds only.

Approved Claims

For finishing barrows and gilts - Claims 1 and 2.
For confined finishing beef cattle greater than 400 kg body weight - Claims 3 and 4.


Claim 1: For increased carcass leanness, increased dressing percent, improved rate of weight gain and improved feed efficiency in finishing barrows and gilts.

Level of Drug: 10 mg/kg (0.001%) of the complete feed.

Directions:

Feed continuously as sole ration to finishing barrows and gilts, that are a minimum 70 kg starting body weight for no longer than 6 weeks.

Note:

To obtain the performance benefits of ractopamine hydrochloride, diets should contain a minimum of 16% crude protein, or its equivalent obtained by amino acid (0.85-0.95% lysine) fortification. Dietary specifications should be determined in consultation with a recognized swine nutritionist (required on premix and supplement labels, only).

Warning:

  1. Ractopamine hydrochloride is beta-adrenergic agonist. Individuals with cardiovascular disease should exercise special caution to avoid exposure to this medicated feed (required on premix and supplement labels, only).
  2. When mixing and handling this medicated feed, use protective clothing, impervious gloves, and a dust mask. Operators should wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling. If accidental eye contact occurs, immediately rinse thoroughly with water. If irritation persists, seek medical attention (required on premix and supplement labels, only).
  3. Keep out of reach of children (required on premix and supplement labels, only).

Caution:

  1. Do not feed to breeding swine.
  2. Do not feed to pigs intended to be retained for breeding.
  3. Do not feed medicated feeds containing ractopamine hydrochloride for more than six (6) weeks.
  4. The use of ractopamine hydrochloride in pigs finishing over 132 kg body weight has not been studied.
  5. Pigs fed ractopamine hydrochloride may be at increased risk for exhibiting the fatigued/downer pig syndrome particularly when marketed at high body weights. Pig handling methods to reduce the incidence of fatigued/downer pigs should be thoroughly evaluated prior to initiating the use of this medicated feed.

Claim 2: For improved rate of weight gain and feed efficiency in finishing barrows and gilts.

Level of Drug: 5 mg/kg - 10 mg/kg (0.0005% - 0.0001%) of the complete feed.

Directions:

Feed continuously as sole ration to finishing barrows and gilts, that are a minimum 70 kg starting body weight, for no longer than 6 weeks.

Note:

To obtain the performance benefits of ractopamine hydrochloride, diets must contain a minimum of 16% crude protein, or its equivalent obtained by amino acid (0.85-0.95% lysine) fortification. Dietary specifications should be determined in consultation with a recognized swine nutritionist (required on premix and supplement labels, only).

Warning:

  1. Ractopamine hydrochloride is beta-adrenergic agonist. Individuals with cardiovascular disease should exercise special caution to avoid exposure to this medicated feed (required on premix and supplement labels, only).
  2. When mixing and handling this medicated feed, use protective clothing, impervious gloves, and a dust mask. Operators should wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling. If accidental eye contact occurs, immediately rinse thoroughly with water. If irritation persists, seek medical attention (required on premix and supplement labels, only).
  3. Keep out of reach of children (required on premix and supplement labels, only).

Caution:

  1. Do not feed to breeding swine.
  2. Do not feed to pigs intended to be retained for breeding.
  3. Do not feed medicated feeds containing ractopamine hydrochloride for more than six (6) weeks.
  4. The use of ractopamine hydrochloride in pigs finishing over 132 kg body weight has not been studied.
  5. Pigs fed ractopamine hydrochloride may be at increased risk for exhibiting the fatigued/downer pig syndrome particularly when marketed at high body weights. Pig handling methods to reduce the incidence of fatigued/downer pigs should be thoroughly evaluated prior to initiating the use of this medicated feed.

Claim 3: For increased rate of weight gain and improved feed efficiency in beef cattle greater than 400 kg body weight fed in confinement during the last 28 to 42 days prior to slaughter.

Level of Drug: 10 mg/kg - 30 mg/kg (0.001% - 0.003%) of the total diet.

Note:

  1. Feed labels must state one specific drug level.
  2. Total diet refers to the complete feed plus the roughage and must be corrected to a 100% dry matter basis.

Directions:

At a level in supplements (dry or liquid), premixes, and complete feeds so that when used as directed, the approved level of drug will be supplied.

Feed continuously as sole ration to finishing beef cattle greater than 400 kg body weight for 28 to 42 days prior to slaughter.

Thoroughly mix in the total daily diet before use.

Do not feed undiluted.

Medicated supplement/premix fed as a % of total diet dry matter:

Mixing medicated supplements or premixes as a % of total diet dry matter is ideal. The following calculation can be used to assist in determining the amount of ractopamine hydrochloride required per kg of supplement/premix dry matter to meet the approved level of drug in the total diet dry matter;

mg ractopamine hydrochloride / kg supplement/premix dry matter =

approved drug level (mg/kg total diet DM) X 100 ÷
% inclusion of supplement/premix into diet on a 100% dry matter basis

Medicated supplement/premix fed as a fixed amount/ head/ day:

It may sometimes be preferable to mix the medicated supplement/premix in the total diet as a fixed amount/head/day. The approved levels of ractopamine hydrochloride must be converted to mg/head/day to accommodate this type of feeding. To do this, the following calculation is used:

mg/head/day = weight of animal (kg) X dry matter intake (% of body weight) X approved drug level (mg/kg total diet DM).

Note that feed labels will be required to state both the body weight of the cattle being fed as well as their dry matter intake.

Warning:

  1. Do not feed to calves to be processed for veal.
  2. Ractopamine hydrochloride is a beta-adrenergic agonist. Individuals with cardiovascular disease should exercise special caution to avoid exposure to this medicated feed (required on premix and supplement labels, only).
  3. When mixing and handling this medicated feed, use protective clothing, impervious gloves, and a dust mask. Operators should wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling. If accidental eye contact occurs, immediately rinse thoroughly with water. If irritation persists, seek medical attention (required on premix and supplement labels, only).
  4. Keep out of reach of children (required on premix and supplement labels, only).

Caution:

  1. Do not use this medicated feed after nine (9) weeks of storage (required on liquid supplement labels only).
  2. This medicated feed must be maintained in a pH range of 4.5 - 7.5 (required on liquid supplement labels only).

Claim 4: For increased carcass leanness in beef cattle greater than 400 kg body weight fed in confinement during the last 28 to 42 days prior to slaughter.

Level of Drug: 20 mg/kg - 30 mg/kg (0.002% - 0.003%) of the total diet.

Note:

  1. Feed labels must state one specific drug level.
  2. Total diet refers to the complete feed plus the roughage and must be corrected to a 100% dry matter basis.

Directions:

At a level in supplements (dry or liquid), premixes, and complete feeds so that when used as directed, the approved level of drug will be supplied.

Feed continuously as sole ration to finishing beef cattle greater than 400 kg body weight for 28 to 42 days prior to slaughter.

Thoroughly mix in the total daily diet before use.

Do not feed undiluted.

Medicated supplement/premix fed as a % of total diet dry matter:

Mixing medicated supplements or premixes as a % of total diet dry matter is ideal. The following calculation can be used to assist in determining the amount of ractopamine hydrochloride required per kg of supplement/premix dry matter to meet the approved level of drug in the total diet dry matter;

mg ractopamine hydrochloride / kg supplement/premix dry matter =

approved drug level (mg/kg total diet DM) X 100 ÷
% inclusion of supplement/premix into diet on a 100% dry matter basis

Medicated supplement/premix fed as a fixed amount/ head/ day:

It may sometimes be preferable to mix the medicated supplement/premix in the total diet as a fixed amount/head/day. The approved levels of ractopamine hydrochloride must be converted to mg/head/day to accommodate this type of feeding. To do this, the following calculation is used:

mg/head/day = weight of animal (kg) X dry matter intake (% of body weight) X approved drug level (mg/kg total diet DM).

Note that feed labels will be required to state both the body weight of the cattle being fed as well as their dry matter intake.

Warning:

  1. Do not feed to calves to be processed for veal.
  2. Ractopamine hydrochloride is a beta-adrenergic agonist. Individuals with cardiovascular disease should exercise special caution to avoid exposure to this medicated feed (required on premix and supplement labels, only).
  3. When mixing and handling this medicated feed, use protective clothing, impervious gloves, and a dust mask. Operators should wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling. If accidental eye contact occurs, immediately rinse thoroughly with water. If irritation persists, seek medical attention (required on premix and supplement labels, only).
  4. Keep out of reach of children (required on premix and supplement labels, only).

Caution:

  1. Do not use this medicated feed after nine (9) weeks of storage (required on liquid supplement labels only).
  2. This medicated feed must be maintained in a pH range of 4.5 - 7.5 (required on liquid supplement labels only).

Accepted Compatibilities

Nil