Withdrawal Period
Lexikon
The withdrawal period is the length of time that must pass after the last application of a veterinary medicinal product before products from the treated animal may be placed on the market.
The withdrawal period is the length of time that must pass after the last application of a veterinary medicinal product before products from the treated animal may be placed on the market. For bees, this concerns the honey. It is set during the authorization procedure and is stated on the packaging and in the package leaflet of the respective product.
Many varroacides carry the statement zero days. This is a statement about residues, not permission to treat with the honey super in place. Most package leaflets rule out use during the nectar flow or with a honey super in place, and some expressly prohibit obtaining honey for human consumption during the treatment. Anyone who overlooks this difference risks honey that is not fit for sale.
The withdrawal period must be recorded in the colony register, even if it is zero days. If a medicinal product is used off-label, that is, outside its authorized species or indication, there is, unlike for other livestock, no blanket minimum withdrawal period for bees. Article 115 of the Veterinary Medicinal Products Regulation requires the veterinarian to set it case by case, assessing the risk of residues in honey. The familiar blanket periods for meat, milk and eggs expressly do not apply to bees. The application rules and withdrawal periods differ between Germany, Austria and Switzerland. What is always authoritative is the package leaflet of the version authorized in one's own country; when in doubt, the official veterinarian provides information.
Sources (4)
- Landesamt für Landwirtschaft, Lebensmittelsicherheit und Fischerei Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: Bestandsbuchführung in der Bienenhaltung
- Emmerich, I.: Zugelassene Arzneimittel für Honigbienen in Deutschland, Berliner und Münchener Tierärztliche Wochenschrift 2018
- Gebrauchsinformation Formicpro, imprägnierte Streifen für den Bienenstock, Fassung Deutschland, Österreich, Belgien
- Verordnung (EU) 2019/6 über Tierarzneimittel, Artikel 108, 113 und 115