Antibiotic usage is a concern for all of us–humans and animals alike. There are some facts that I will share about livestock antibiotic usage, specifically antibiotic usage, and antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotic usage and resistance is a complex issue.
And one that ALL of us need to take seriously. When it comes to using antibiotics in livestock, there are a few things you need to know about antibiotic usage in livestock.
Many are pointing fingers at livestock farmers because animals use the largest amount (by poundage) of antibiotics in the U.S. The figure most used is that 70-80% of antibiotics sold in the U.S. each year are used in animals. However, over a third of those antibiotics are in classes that have no use in human medicine, and another third are in classes that are not considered highly important to human medicine (refer to the chart).
Let’s start by examining why farmers give their animals antibiotics:
- therapeutic (treat animals that are sick)
- sub-therapeutic (prevent sickness)
- promote growth (allow the animals to grow more efficiently)
In 2013, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) asked pharmaceutical manufacturers to voluntarily surrender their growth promotion labels and put all other therapeutic uses of antibiotics under the direct supervision of veterinarians. And they did. By complying with FDA’s Guidance for Industry #213 and #209, drug companies voluntarily gave up their growth promotion claims for all antibiotics that are in classes used in human medicine. FDA #213 and #209 went into effect on January 1, 2017.
Even though risk studies have shown agricultural antibiotic use having minimal effect on public health, agriculture has proactively stepped up to the plate by making changes on how antibiotics are used on the farm. It’s about doing the right thing.
Going forward we must study animal antibiotic usage and resistance not based on how many pounds we use, but rather the impact on public health. As of January 1, 2017, all farmers are required to work closely with a veterinarian and all antibiotics will be required to have direct veterinarian oversight.
As a farmer, we try to minimize the number of antibiotics we use. Here is what we do on our pig farm:
1) Prevent illnesses. There are a number of practices we use to prevent illnesses.
- Vaccination program. Following a strict and comprehensive list of vaccines given to our pigs at a young age helps keep them healthy. Our vaccination program changes as our herd health change and is reviewed regularly.
- All-in, all-out. Newly weaned pigs come to our farm as a complete group, deliveries split over about 3-4 days. By having only one group of pigs on our farm, we are not exposing young pigs to viruses or illnesses from other pigs.
- Cleanliness. Our barns are washed after every group of hogs are sold. We use a pressure washer which uses heated water to clean everything. And I mean everything! From ceilings to heaters to fans to hallways. And then we let it dry for as long as possible.
- Clean water, air, and feed. Our pigs eat 9 different rations (same as a recipe) that meet their nutritional needs. We also filter our air at the sow farm to help prevent airborne diseases.
- Keep stresses to a minimum. There is no doubt stress causes illness. We keep our pigs in the same pens from the time they arrive on our farm. Moving pigs from one pen to another initiates their innate “pecking order” behaviors will cause the new pig to be attacked. Also, pigs housed inside are less stressed because we can control volatile weather conditions and no exposure to predators or parasites. When an entire group of pigs is moved (such as weaning), we do use antibiotics to prevent illness. Because we have cared for pigs for a very long time, many times we “know” when pigs will get sick. Better to prevent an illness than to let them suffer through a full-fledged illness outbreak.
- Making sure all equipment is working properly. Are the waterers working? Are the feeders working properly? Are ventilation fans working? These are daily questions we ask ourselves.
2) Work closely with our veterinarian. The oversight of a veterinarian for all uses of medically important antibiotics is part of FDA Guidance 209/213, as well as a part of farmers’ routine practice through quality assurance programs. We rely heavily on our veterinarian’s advice.
3) Monitor hog health daily. Many days we are in the barns multiple times observing and monitoring their health. Just by looking at a pig, we can determine whether it’s feeling well. Do they scamper around or are they just lying around? Do they sit straight or are their legs off to the side? Are they breathing hard? Are they coughing? Do their stools look good or are they loose? By watching for signs early, we can catch illnesses early before a full-fledged outbreak.
4) Antibiotic recordkeeping. We are required to have a log of all antibiotics our animals receive. This log contains what drug is used when what pig(s) and why. Antibiotic withdrawals are permanently posted in our barns. Withdrawals are the time an animal is given the last drug to the time an animal is sent to market. It is ILLEGAL to send an animal with antibiotic residue above the FDA’s level to market, which essentially means all meat is antibiotic-free.
Have other countries banned antibiotics?
Eliminating antibiotics to prevent or control disease in farm animals in other countries such as Denmark has not reduced the amount of antibiotic-resistant bacteria infections and strains harmful to people. And it has even led to an increased need for treatment of animals with newer, stronger antibiotics that are more closely related to those used in human medicine and other problems.
Do all antibiotics leave the animal’s body after administered?
Typically, antibiotics are administered in one of two ways. One is through the feed or water and the other is administered through a syringe. The antibiotics administered through a syringe either goes into the animal’s muscle or just under the skin. The amount of antibiotics given is determined by the weight of an animal, the number of doses and the level of antibiotics needed to kill the bacteria – all determined by the FDA. After the drug has been administered, the antibiotic will start to leave the body naturally through the excretion of urine and feces. Each specific antibiotic is regulated by the FDA, which has established the withdrawal period needed to bring the antibiotic residue down to a minuscule safe tolerance level. Antibiotics such as penicillin have a zero residue level. Antibiotic residue does not have a finite life, which means it will continue to decrease to zero.
Are Farmers Contributing to Antibiotic Resistance?
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria develop the capacity to inactivate or exclude antibiotics or develop a mechanism to block the inhibitory or killing effects of antibiotics. The bacteria survive, continue to multiply and spread, and cause more harm.
Antibiotics are used in both human healthcare and on farms. None of us, including farmers, want to face a medical problem where an antibiotic is no longer useful because the infection is resistant to antibiotics. Unfortunately, just using an antibiotic causes resistance. Farmers follow new FDA directives.
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) Directives 209 and 213
Starting January 1, 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) directives 209 and 213 will take effect. What does that mean?
- Antibiotics that are medically important (to human illness) will not be used for growth promotion in food animals.
- Antibiotics will only be available for therapeutic and prophylactic use – meaning to treat or prevent disease. Also required will be veterinarian oversight.
- Feed grade antibiotics and water medications will require a veterinary feed directive—similar to a drug prescription.
Antibiotic resistance is a complex issue and any measures we can take as farmers are welcomed by our industry. We embrace these changes. Our end goal is to raise healthy and safe meat and we continually look for ways to improve our animal care methods and knowledge to reach that goal.
Can Farms raise pigs without antibiotics?
Many niche farmers who raise animals without antibiotics may still treat animals who do get sick with antibiotics. The treated animals are removed from the herd and placed in a separate holding area. And in the case of pigs, moving these animals in with other treated animals will cause them to fight because they need to reinitiate their social hierarchy. Another stress.
What is USDA’s role in testing animals for antibiotic residue?
Read this blog post by North Carolina Meat Mom. She has great insight on the USDA and its role in testing animals. The American Meat Institute also has a great explanation of antibiotic use in meat.
Antibiotic usage is changing on the farm. We rarely use penicillin when years ago we used it on a regular basis. Farmers understand the gravity of the antibiotic resistance bacteria problem and use antibiotics only when absolutely necessary.
It’s important that consumers know that we do need to care for our pigs. Being required to give zero antibiotics is not an option. When our pigs get sick, we need to help them. It’s our responsibility. We will continue to find ways to prevent these illnesses or find other ways to treat them. Future ways to help prevent illnesses may include new and better vaccines, water filtering, improved biosecurity, essential oils, genetics and other methods that aren’t even on the radar screen. Believe me, farmers would love to not use antibiotics.
One thing I do know is agriculture is always changing. Changing by continuously finding new and better ways in animal care through innovation and that is what makes agriculture’s future so exciting.
Jennifer Langenfelder Debnam says
Excellent post, Wanda!
Thank you Jennifer!
Linda Zafft says
My daughter married into a “pig farming” family last May (and never been a farming family before that) so I am learning quite a bit (and very interested) in my son-in-law’s life style………..and the first question that hit me in this article was WHY!?!?! are people so against the farmer caring for their livestock…..as a mother if my child is sick and need an antibiotic I am going to give them one……my children have received vaccinations throughout their life……even our family pets have, so why not the farmers livestock!!!!!!
Great and interesting article!!!
Any preventative use of antibiotics long term will lead to mutations of bacteria. There are only five classes of bacteria and they affect all living organisms . The producers are trying to convince consumers otherwise which is bullshit !!! I bet your kids and grandchildren are eating meat that is not injected with hormones and antibiotics . I see that when the neighbor farmers isolate a few animals for their own consumption !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The preventive use of antibiotics and only used short term. It’s illrgsl to give pigs and poultry hormones so that never happens. And completely disagree with farmers isolating a few animals because they are giving them hormones/antibiotics so they have food for themselves. We eat the same pork that we send to market and every farmer that I know does the same thing!
It makes me laugh when food company’s say there going antibiotic free because meat is already free of them. They would not beable to sell the meat if there were drugs still in the animals system. Lol
james d says
Are you implying that bacterial cross contamination is not a possibility between humans and animals ? If that were to occur which it has , is it possible that the overuse on livestock would create a mutation of the bacterial organism in humans that could not be controlled by our existing antibiotics ? I personally believe that antibiotics are absorbed into the meat and muscle of the animals that are consumed by humans. Preventive use of antibiotics can create many problems in our society between livestock producers and doctors that routinely prescribe medicines at the first sign of an infection.
emmanuel motlhagodi says
I GOT A PROBLEM AFTER MY PIG BEARING THE YOUNG ONES 1DAY OLD OR 2DAYS OLD THEY DIE ,CAN I GIVE MY PIGS ANTIBIOTICS BECAUSE I SUSPECT THAT THEY MIGHT BE HAVING INFECTION
Wanda Patsche says
I would recommend talking with your vet
Where are the antibiotics from?
It is the panacea to bacterial disease when first introduced in here. However, the phenomenon of antibiotic abuse is devastated everywhere in the world now. Around 50% of antibiotics are used in raising livestock and poultry.
The pollution-free agricultural mechanism is to establish antibiotic-free animal farming system, and then use its clean animal’s feces as the fertilizer for agricultural planting. In this way, we can stop continuing pollution from the wastes of farm animals and farm crops. And moreover it can let the environment and ecology restored.
AFFS means Antibiotic-Free Farming System which is an innovative animal farming system without using any antibiotics and synthetic drugs during the entire farming process.