Review of the use of Antibiotics in Food Producing Animals

At this point in time many of the countries in the developed world are in the process of, or have completed a review of the use of antibiotics in humans and animals, particularly the use of growth promotants.  The European Union released its recommendations in June (PDF file). The Australian Review (called the JETACAR Report) is nearly complete and will be submitted to the Ministers for Health and Agriculture within the next few weeks. See the November newsletter for further information



The primary reasons for the reviews are to determine the scope and impact of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, and to devise methods of reducing the development and impact of antibiotic resistance.  Rightly or wrongly, the use of antibiotics in food producing animals, and in particular the use of antimicrobial agents in feed has attracted considerable attention.  There are sizeable sections of the community and medical professions who are now arguing against the use of certain therapeutic agents in animals.  Some are going as far as to demand that if a drug or a class of drugs is used in human medicine they should not be used in animals. Products like avoparcin (Avotan) and virginiamycin (Eskalin) were approved long before they were important in human medicine and have been used for 30 years in animals, mainly to prevent lacticacidosis in grain fed ruminant and to prevent necrotic enteritis in chickens grown for meat.

This issue is a technical and moral minefield. There is little supporting evidence to suggest that bacterial resistance is developing unchecked in food animal populations, or that bacterial resistance is forming in animals and being transferred to humans.  Nor is there any evidence to prove that this is not happening.   The only solid and irrefutable data suggests that in environments where large amounts of antimicrobials are used, the likelihood that resistant bacteria develop will increase.  This is true for human and animal populations.

The review released by the European Unions Scientific Steering Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance makes several clear recommendations being:

  • Tightening on the controls on the sale, supply and distribution of antimicrobial agents intended for use in human, animal or plant health systems.  In some EU countries only Veterinarians or animal health technicians can administer injectable antibiotics.
  • Encourage the development of "best management practices" so that the need to control infective agents is reduced, the health and welfare of livestock is optimised and the need or demand for routine addition of in-feed medications is reduced.  This includes the use of properly balanced rations.
  • Encourage an increased use of diagnostic procedures and discourage the use of antibiotics where a disease is likely to be self-limiting.
  • Actively encourage the phasing out of certain treatments.
  • Institution of improved recording and monitoring systems.


It is likely that the JETACAR Report will make similar recommendations.

What is the likely impact of the reviews on the way that cows are treated?

Firstly, there will probably be a greater requirement to prove that milk and meat products sold are free from chemical and bacterial contamination and that reasonable management practices have been employed in the creation of these products.  The purchasers (international and domestic) of food products will not tolerate the presence of antibiotic residues.  Luckily the Australian dairy industry is already instituting on-farm quality assurance programs and these will be the sort of evidence that markets are requiring.
The use of some drugs may become restricted.  Certain drugs that have greater value to human health may be removed from use on animals, similarly drugs that are more valuable for use in animals may be withdrawn from use in humans.  Already we are seeing the removal of certain drugs from the market place due to reduced effect or causing problems. For example, the injectable forms of streptomycin (Pen-Strep) are no longer permitted to be used in livestock because of residue problems.  The use of products like Eskalin and Tylan in feeds have been discussed.  The EU report and the 1997 WHO report consider that the use of these agents hold no immediate risk to public health, however this status will be constantly monitored and may be reviewed. Other in-feed medicants have been shown to rapidly cause bacterial resistance to develop. Six antibiotics have been banned from growth promotion in the EU including Tylsosin

What should be done?

In order to preserve the ability to treat bacterial infections in animals, action must be taken to reduce the overall use of antibiotics through the use of preventative measures and the sensible use of therapies.  Simple actions such as examining sick or lame cows and determining the cause of their disease before treating them will significantly reduce the amount of antibiotics used.  Diagnosing the condition permits the identification of the problem areas and the implementation of preventative measures, reducing the need to treat further cases.  Thus reducing the cost of the problem in the short and long term.



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