Update on Antibiotic Usage in the Pig Sector

Caroline Garvan, Veterinary Inspector

Content

• Introduction – Global focus on AB usage

• Surveillance – Usage & AMR

• Promotion of Animal Health

• Prudent Use

Resistance v Residue

Antibiotic Resistance - Major Public Health Threat

Antibiotic Residues – minimal → No longer Public Health risk

Commission Action Plan

HPRA Data 2013

Premix 34.8%

Oral Remedy 30.8%

Injectable 29.4%

AMR surveillance – Pigs/poultry/cattle

Slide courtesy of Food Safety Authority of Ireland

AMR SURVEILLANCE – Pigs only

Slide courtesy of Food Safety Authority of Ireland

Slide courtesy of Food Safety Authority of Ireland

These substances show much lower levels of resistance and are more in line with the trends observed for the overall data in the first chart – Slide courtesy of Food Safety Authority of Ireland

DAFM – Pilot study

● Total active medication consumed during the animals lifecycle and it is compared to the average final weight● Two herds with the highest consumption of medication → final weights are both 102kg which are below the average weight of 105.5kg across the herds● Herd with the highest final weight had the fourth lowest consumption of active medication in the study (Slide courtesy of FSAI )

Improving Animal Health

• Housing environment • Nutrition• Management• Vaccination – prevention• Biosecurity• Veterinary Consultation

Biosecurity – DISEASE PREVENTION

• External – personnel/vehicles/animals• Internal – Pigs →‘All in /all out’ , washing

/disinfecting/drying houses • Personnel →shower in, dedicated piggery

clothing -limit movement of personnel between age groups, hand & feet hygiene, disinfectant baths, syringes/bottles

Prudent Use??

● Piglets - creep• Link/1st stage weaners

– Feed mixing / delivery → Targeted ! • 2nd stage weaners → Targeted! • Finishers

– No Withdrawal Period ≠ Prudent Use

Factors influencing mis-use on some farms

●Viral diseases –PRRS, Circo, Swine influenza• Bacterial infection –real or not• Farmer –’unwilling to stop in feed medication’,

‘Why change –pigs ‘doing ok’!• Multiple vets -evidence of communication

failure→ vet to vet/ vet to farmer• Lack of scientific investigation-costs money -Will I get an answer?

Prudent use – Feed Mixing• One wet mixer-Sows and weaners

→ if only 1st weaners need treatment→Residue carryover to ‘non target groups’→Result ↑risk of resistant bacteria in herd

General mixer + satellite tanksProblem solved ???

• Yes/No• Tank feeds 1st stage weaner ----4 week cycle

• Problem—many AB medications licensed to treat for 7-10 days ---NOT 4 weeks--RESISTANCE

• Problem if purchasing or home mixing?--yes• Problem for prescribing vet? ---yes

• Feed mix/delivery systems – change →Target small group for Short Time

Legislative Changes? - Regulations • Diagnosis – sensitivity testing! • Dosage & Duration of treatment- strict

adherence to datasheet• Ban on preventive use(?) or performance

enhancer• Restriction on usage of CIAs• Prescription for medicated feed – 1 week validity• Prescription can only supply 2 weeks medication

Progress to date...

Increased awareness of targeted use

Vaccination programmes → usage ↓

Improved biosecurity

?Herd Health Programmes?

Further Progress needed....

If disease is present: → Right ANIMAL

→ Right DRUG

→ Right DOSE

→ Right DURATION