Antibiotics · Prescription (Rx)
Micotil 300 withdrawal time for cattle
tilmicosin. Used for bRD treatment and control in beef and non-lactating dairy cattle.
Slaughter withdrawal
42 days
| Route / formulation | Slaughter withdrawal | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Subcutaneous injection only | 42 days |
Milk & dairy: Not for use in lactating dairy cattle 20 months of age or older — tilmicosin causes milk residues.
Micotil is a single-dose macrolide for respiratory disease with one of the longest withdrawal times of any common cattle antibiotic: 42 days. The drug persists in lung tissue for days, which is what makes one shot effective — and what makes the six-week slaughter hold necessary.
Micotil is also the one bottle on the shelf with a serious human-safety warning. Injected in a human, tilmicosin is cardiotoxic and has caused deaths. It is subcutaneous only, never in an automatically powered syringe, and never around a needle you cannot fully control. Your vet is required to review this with you, and it is worth taking seriously.
What the label requires
- Slaughter withdrawal: 42 days — the longest of the major BRD antibiotics.
- Human injection can be fatal: SQ only, no automatic syringes, keep the animal restrained, carry the safety card.
- Intramuscular injection in cattle causes tissue damage and trim loss and is off-label.
- Prescription only, and vets are often selective about which operations they dispense it to because of the safety profile.
Always follow the label on your bottle and your veterinarian's directions. Extra-label use — any different dose, route, or frequency — voids the withdrawal above; your vet sets the interval instead, usually via FARAD. When in doubt, hold longer. Label data checked July 18, 2026. Source: FDA label (DailyMed).
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Common questions
Why is the Micotil withdrawal so much longer than Draxxin?
Tilmicosin binds and persists in tissue longer than tulathromycin, so residues take longer to fall below FDA tolerance. The 42-day figure comes from residue-decline studies behind the label; there is no safe way to shorten it.
What happens if a person is accidentally injected with Micotil?
It is a medical emergency — tilmicosin affects the heart, and there is no antidote. Call emergency services immediately and bring the product insert. This is why the label bans automatic syringes and why many vets restrict who they will dispense it to.