The National Pig Association (NPA) is launching an antibiotic stewardship programme to achieve minimum use of antibiotics, consistent with responsible human and food-animal medicine.
In addition to that objective, there will be five other strands to the programme:
* Capture and collate antibiotic use data recorded on pig farms.
* Benchmark each farm's antibiotic use against other farms of a similar type.
* Extend education in effective disease control strategies.
* Promote veterinary prescribing principles to strictly limit the use of antibiotics of critical importance to human health.
* Appoint Stewardship Commissars who will continually review industry's use of antimicrobials and champion initiatives.
"We recognise and share society's concerns about the level of antibiotic use in human and livestock medicine," said NPA chief executive Dr Zoe Davies. "In particular we acknowledge the risk, albeit small, of antibiotic resistance developing in bacteria in pigs and this resistance spreading to humans."
In a bid to ensure and demonstrate responsible use of antibiotics in pigs, NPA is introducing the Pig Industry Antibiotic Stewardship Programme and working with the Pig Veterinary Society, industry levy body AHDB Pork, and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, to progress its initiatives.
"Although antibiotic resistance in humans is largely caused by over-use and misuse of antibiotics in human medicine, the British pig industry has a duty to ensure it does not contribute to the problem," said NPA senior policy adviser Dr Georgina Crayford.
"Overall sales of antibiotics for use in livestock in the UK sit mid-range compared to other EU countries. We acknowledge the current perception that antibiotic use in our pig industry may be higher than in some other countries, but we don't have any data to demonstrate what our actual on-farm usage is, hence the need for action."
The first and most important goal of the Stewardship Programme will be to collect both quantitative and qualitative data on current use of antibiotics in British pig husbandry. This will be achieved through the industry's newly introduced online medicines book.
Market round-up
Lawrie & Symington Ltd sold 514 store heifers in Lanark on Tuesday to a top of £1520 per head and 248p per kg to average £826.62 and 207.5p (+14.3p on the fortnight), while 654 store, beef-bred bullocks peaked at £1230 and 261.4p to level at £881.46 and 216p (+7.9p). Thirty-six store, dairy-bred bullocks averaged £558.61 and 130.4p (-4.8p).
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