SoylentNews

Reducing Antimicrobial Use in Food Animals

posted by martyb on Sunday October 01 2017, @04:41PM   
from the chew-on-this dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

The large and expanding use of antimicrobials in livestock, a consequence of growing global demand for animal protein, is of considerable concern in light of the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Use of antimicrobials in animals has been linked to drug-resistant infections in animals (1) and humans (2). In September 2016, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly recognized the inappropriate use of antimicrobials in animals as a leading cause of rising AMR. In September 2018, the interagency group established by the UN Secretary General will report on progress in the global response to AMR, including antimicrobial consumption in animals. We provide a baseline to monitor efforts to reduce antimicrobial use and assess how three global policies might curb antimicrobial consumption in food animal production: (i) enforcing global regulations to cap antimicrobial use, (ii) adherence to nutritional guidelines leading to reduced meat consumption, and (iii) imposing a global user fee on veterinary antimicrobial use.

Good thing we've moved on to eating insects.

---

Original Submission

• Re:The real solution - side note about use in feed (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 02 2017, @05:04AM

  by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 02 2017, @05:04AM (#575767)

  Antimicrobial use alters the gut flora in many species, which causes animals to digest food differently. Now, many of them have been banned and you are having a harder time finding vets that will prescribe them (without some, ahem, persuasion). Of course, it is now getting to the point where non-lot farmers are actually getting higher prices for more humane treatment. The bigger buyers have vertically integrated (and don't really buy on open market) and the smaller buyers really feel the push for antibiotic free and a lesser bit for free-range or cage-free birds.

  HOWEVER, not all of them have been banned. Plus, farmers are now transitioning to either broader spectrum antimicrobial substances, or off-label from friendly vets, or prescription from a vet properly persuaded to see how sick your animals are. That way they can still get the benefit, but still get the coveted "no antibiotics" label.

  Parent