November 10, 2014

Animal antibiotic use in Denmark rose slightly in 2013

Denmark's animals consumed 128 tonnes of antimicrobial agents last year, or a 4% increase over the previous year, according to the recently released report of the Danish Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring and Research Program, or Danmap.

The report attributed the increase mainly to a 6% rise in the consumption of antimicrobials by pigs, which constitute the majority of Denmark's meat production. Consumption in the poultry and pet sectors also increased, though.

Pigs accounted for 78% of antimicrobial or antibiotic use, cattle 10%, aquaculture 3%, poultry 1%, fur animals 4%, and pets, horses and other companion animals 3%.

Danmap said the animals' consumption of antimicrobials in 2013 was less than that of 2009 when it was at its highest. Since 2009, Danish farmers have stopped using antimicrobials to enhance growth of animals.

Denmark bans the use of antimicrobial drugs to promote growth and prevent disease, but Danish farmers still use the drugs to treat infections.

Yvonne Agersø, senior researcher at the National Food Institute, stressed that it was crucial that "we reverse the increase in consumption, if we are to tackle the problem of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria."

The Danmap report, nevertheless, showed that consumption of critically important antimicrobials in animal production remained low.