111 Research paper – Callens – 2012 – Prophylactic and metaphylactic antimicrobial use in Belgian fattening pig herds

111 Research paper
Prophylactic and metaphylactic antimicrobial use in Belgian fattening pig herds
by Callens, B., Persoons, D., Maes, D., Laanen, M., Postma, M., Boyen, F., Haesebrouck, F., Butaye, P., Catry, B. and J. Dewulf. 2012 Preventive Veterinary Medicine 106: 53-62
In Significant Impact Groups: AMU reduction strategies \ Monitoring and surveillance Antibiotic use
Species targeted: Pigs;
Age: Young; Adult;
Summary: The guidelines for prudent use of antimicrobials are not yet implemented in Belgium. Between January and October 2010 data antimicrobial use was collected retrospectively on 50 closed pig herds. An overall higher use of prophylactic antimicrobial group level therapy was recorded in 2010 compared to 2003. This shift was marked by a partial yet substantial replacement of older, orally administered compounds by new injectable long acting products. The most frequently used antimicrobials orally applied to groups of pigs were colistin (30.7%), amoxicillin (30.0%), trimethoprim-sulfonamides (13.1%), doxycycline (9.9%) and tylosin (8.1%). The most frequently applied injectable antimicrobials were tulathromycin (45.0%), long acting ceftiofur (40.1%) and long acting amoxicillin (8.4%). Injectable products were generally overdosed (79.5%), whereas oral treatments were often under dosed (47.3%). In conclusion, this study shows that preventive group treatment was applied in 98% of the visited herds and often includes the use of critically important and broad-spectrum antimicrobials.

Country: BE