Pig industry leaders have welcomed the latest figures which show that the industry, for the third year running, reduced antibiotic usage in the UK.
Figures collected using the electronic medicine book (eMB) show that antibiotic use in 2018 dropped by a further 16% on 2017 figures.
It shows use reached 110 mg/PCU, edging closer to the 2020 industry target of 99 mg/PCU.
The data taken from eMB represent 89% of pigs slaughtered in the UK and shows a drop from 131 mg/PCU to 110 mg/PCU between 2017 and 2018.
Significantly, the use of critically important antibiotics (CIAs) has also seen a decrease.
Use of CIAs is recorded at 0.06 mg/PCU of which, Colistin, represents only 0.004 mg/PCU.
This year’s success may be attributed to several factors. Red Tractor added antibiotic recording in eMB into their pig standards, AHDB developed a new benchmarking tool in eMB and the wider industry has continued to improve biosecurity.
AHDB’s Senior Veterinary Manager, Mandy Nevel said: the latest reductions in antibiotic use in the UK pig sector 'reflect the great efforts' of pig producers and their vets to champion responsible antibiotic use.
“As we approach the target set by the UK pig industry, it is important that producers work with their vets to ensure further reductions don’t compromise animal welfare.
“Antibiotics are a vital tool that enable vets to control disease in pigs and early treatment, where appropriate, is essential to ensure welfare,” she said.
eMB’s benchmarking function allows producers to benchmark themselves against other producers with similar production systems.
This has enabled producers to understand their own patterns of use and, alongside their vets, make informed decisions around animal treatments, including antibiotic use.
