ROCKVILLE, Md.— The FDA approved an updated label for florfenicol (Nuflor, Schering-Plough Animal Health) to include the claim that the antibiotic kills bacteria associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

BRD is a major health problem in cattle and the most significant cause of economic loss for the cattle industry.

The product can now claim that it has bactericidal activity against some strains of the two major bacteria that can cause BRD: Mannheimia haemolytica and Histophilus somni. Testing demonstrated that 99.9% of the bacteria were killed in 24 hours. After injection, florfenicol continues to kill the bacteria for a total of 68 hours. In addition, florfenicol inhibits one-third of Pasteurella multocida for 67 hours.

A bacterial invasion of the lungs is a major component of BRD. The typical signs of BRD are associated with inflammation of the lungs and include breathlessness, fever, excess mucus, coughing and loss of appetite.