EU health chiefs urge re-think in farm practices to cut antibiotic use

European health chiefs have called on farmers to 're-think' their production systems to cut the use of antibiotics in livestock.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the world's most pressing public health issues and the use of antimicrobials in animals contributes to this problem, so limiting their use to the minimum necessary to treat infectious diseases in animals is crucial, they said.

Innovative solutions

"It is clear that strategies that are already available can be implemented immediately and will have a positive impact on levels of antimicrobial resistance," said European Food Safety Authority's executive director, Dr Bernhard Url.

"At the same time, there is a need for innovative solutions – we need to find alternative ways to prevent and treat bacterial infections in animals."

European Medicines Agency's executive director Professor Guido Rasi said: "There are only a few new antibiotics in the development pipeline, hence those already available need to be used responsibly, both in humans and animals.

"Collecting data on AMR and antibiotic consumption is key to putting into place effective measures to control AMR and retain the effectiveness of antimicrobials for the benefit of public and animal health."

'Not enough'

The EFSA said the use of antimicrobials in animals should be reduced to the minimum that is necessary to treat infectious diseases.

Other than in exceptional cases, their use to prevent such diseases should be phased out in favour of alternative measures.

Critically important antimicrobials for human medicine should only be used in animals as a last resort.

Alternatives to antimicrobials that have been shown to improve animal health and thereby reduce the need to use antimicrobials include vaccines, probiotics, prebiotics, bacteriophages and organic acids.

However, reducing the use of antimicrobials and finding alternatives is not enough.

They said there is a need to re-think the livestock system by implementing farming practices that prevent the introduction and spread of the disease into farms and by considering alternative farming systems which are viable with reduced use of antimicrobials.

Education and awareness of AMR should be addressed to all levels of society but in particular to veterinarians and farmers.