Measuring and tracking responsible antibiotic use in UK dairy farms
With antimicrobial resistance a growing concern in both human and animal health, the agricultural sector, particularly dairy farming, has been making concerted efforts to reduce the use of antibiotics.
The Kingshay dairy antimicrobial focus report is an annual publication that sheds light on these efforts, offering insights and data-driven analysis on trends in antibiotic usage across over 1,000 UK dairy farms.
The insights from the report are crucial in the fight against antimicrobial resistance and reflects the industry’s commitment to using antibiotics responsibly.
Report focus
The Kingshay reports aim to highlight changes in the use of antimicrobials among UK dairy herds and provide valuable data to illustrate how the 1,000 dairy farms in their sample group are reducing reliance on antibiotics.
The report identifies key trends and comparisons to previous years and are also compared with broader national data, such as the Veterinary Antimicrobial Resistance and Sales Surveillance, which reports antibiotic sales for food-producing animals.
Regional success and importance of responsible use
The report also shows regional trends and highlights areas of the country that have made significant changes to antimicrobial usage against the target threshold.
All achievements so far are testament to the collaborative efforts of farmers and vets who have worked tirelessly to implement effective strategies for reducing antibiotic use. However, as Dr Tim Potter, a senior clinical director at Westpoint Farm Vets and co-author of the report, points out, the goal is not to eliminate antimicrobial use entirely.
He advises that antibiotics remain a crucial tool in treating bacterial infections, and their use, when necessary, should be targeted and responsible.
By working together, farmers and vets are not only improving animal health and welfare but also contributing to the broader public health goal of reducing antimicrobial resistance.
Evidencing progress
In addition to year-on-year data, the Kingshay report provides a comprehensive analysis of trends across time since 2018 when the reporting service began. This long-term perspective highlights the sustained efforts of the dairy industry in reducing antimicrobial usage.
Read the latest report
Continued commitment to responsible use
Although the dairy industry has made significant strides in reducing antimicrobial usage, the journey doesn’t end here. Focus must remain on the responsible and targeted use of antibiotics to ensure their effectiveness for future generations.