March 13, 2014

 

Denmark aims to further reduce antibiotics usage in poultry farming

 

 

Dutch poultry farming's antibiotic usage has declined considerably as the objective for the reduction in 2013 was already achieved in 2012, however, the government wants to stop the flow of antibiotics even more.

 

The broiler sector in the Netherlands leaves the other livestock farming sectors in its wake, when it comes to driving back the usage of antibiotics. This is stated in the figures of 2012 presented by the SDa (The Netherlands Veterinary Medicines Authority). The figures demonstrate that the government's objective of 50% less antibiotics in 2013 compared to 2009, was already achieved in 2012. However, further decrease is necessary now that the government has decided a reduction of 70% has to be achieved in 2015. Even though great progress has been made by the poultry sector, it is not there yet.

 

In every sector of livestock farming, the usage of antibiotics in 2012 has decreased 15% compared to 2011. This is shown in an analysis of the delivery figures from the pharmaceutical firms to veterinarians. At the sales figures kept by the department of animal medicines, an even bigger decrease was visible. According to branch organisation Fidin, 249 tonnes of antibiotics have been sold in the Dutch livestock farming industry in 2012. Based on the delivery figures or the usage registration on livestock farms, 262 tonnes of antibiotics have been used in 2012. The SDa is looking for an explanation for the discrepancy of 13 tonnes between the two registration methods.

 

The SDa only has the data of the usage registration of the broiler farming sector, where the figures of 2012 are derived from 762 broilers farms. These farms used 16% less antibiotics on average, compared to 2011. The usage of antibiotics on the broiler farms is represented by the amount of treatment days per year. In 2012 this was 19.9 days on average.

 

A shift was observed in broiler farming concerning the usage from third and second generation antibiotics to first generation medicines. According to the SDa, a particular point of interest is the relative high usage of third generation antibiotics in poultry  farming compared to other livestock sectors, which are a part of the so-called fluoroquinolones. These medicines are being used in human health care as well. The reason broilers farmers and their veterinarians use these fluoroquinolones more often, is the frequent appearance of infections due to multi-resistant organisms within broiler farming, according to the SDa.

 

In order to deal with the antibiotics issue in livestock farming, three levels have been determined: a target level, a signalling level and an action level. On farms which appear to be in the 'action level' (red), immediate action is required. For farms which appear to be in the 'signalling level' (orange) it means that there is a high usage, it requires additional attention. On farms which appear to be in the 'target level' (green), no immediate action is required.

 

Despite the substantial decrease in the use of antibiotics in livestock farming in 2012, the SDa remains critical: "A point of concern is that the category of users using large quantities in most livestock farming sectors was barely reduced," says Roeland Wessels, spokesman of the SDa. "For that matter, the broiler farming sector stands out in a positive way. The share of broiler farmers in the 'action level' group has decreased."

 

The 'action level' group counted 124 broiler farmers in 2012. The 'action level' group includes broiler farmers, which have an average of 34 or more treatment days per year. In 2011 there were still 179 poultry farmers in the 'action level' group. A total of 63 broiler farmers were in the 'action level' group both in 2011 and in 2012.

 

For the broiler farmers in the 'action level' group, the informal attitude for working on a reduction of the use of antibiotics will disappear, as they are obliged to take action. It amounts to consumers using large quantities being obliged to draw up an improvement plan together with their veterinarian, which includes some solid points of action that will have to lead to a decrease in the use of antibiotics. "It is not the intention that we tell broiler farmers what to do. It concerns specific on farm measures which entrepreneurs can take, in consultation with their veterinarians", says Marijn Graf, policy advisor at the product board for poultry and eggs. "With that they will have to use the 'Action Plan Common Usage', a structured method, which is formulated by the Animal Healthcare Service in consultation with the sector.

 

The SDa does not support the approach of the poultry farming sector to divide the group of farmers using large quantities. Meanwhile the government has made it clear that the usage of antibiotics in livestock farming has to decline further in the coming years. "The importance of public health remains first priority," wrote Dijksma, State Secretary of Economic Affairs, and Schippers, Minister of Health, Welfare and Sports.

 

Eric Hubers, president of poultry farmers' organisation LTO/NOP, is positive about the achieved reduction in the use of antibiotics over the past few years. He suspects that the increased reduction in the usage of antibiotics in the past few years is mainly due to the awareness.

 

Hubers endorses the point of view of the government that the importance of public health must remain first priority for the policy on antibiotics. He thinks the government has adopted an easy-going attitude towards the further development of the policy on antibiotics.

 

In human healthcare there is still an increase in the resistance of pathogenic organisms to antibiotics. However the policy on antibiotics in livestock farming starts to yield results: The resistance to antibiotics on animals is decreasing. This is stated in the so-called Nath-Map/Maran report 2013 made by a couple of research institutes. The authors plead to tighten the policy, in order to stop the increase of resistance, especially in hospitals.

 

The fact that the usage of antibiotics in livestock farming has decreased drastically over the past few years, is cited by the authors of the report as encouraging. They have recorded that the decrease in the use of antibiotics actually leads to less resistance to antibiotics at livestock farms.

 

Not all resistance forms have such good results. For instance, of all E. coli of food producing animals, at least 37% is resistant to amoxicillin, an antibiotic commonly used by human beings.