Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Guide to antibiotic usage on pig farms

A review containing guidance to help pig producers cut their use of antimicrobials was published recently. It was produced jointly by the Pig Health and Welfare Council (PHWC) Antimicrobial Sub-group and the Pig Veterinary Society.
John FitzGerald, Sub-group chairman, said, “The PHWC supports the responsible use of antibiotics. This means minimizing the need to use antibiotics by managing the farm to reduce the risk of disease and using them properly to maintain animal health and welfare.
“We are delighted to launch this guidance, which will help vets and farmers to review their antibiotic use regularly and to consider ways in which this could be optimized without harming the pigs.”
Grace Webster, PVS representative on the Sub-Group, said, “We acknowledge that many vets and farmers are already applying these best practice guidelines in their review of antibiotic usage. This is an integral part of their ongoing efforts to use antibiotics ‘as little as possible and as much as necessary’ to safeguard the health and welfare of the pigs under their care and encourage all of our members to consider whether they can improve their current approach.”
To review the report, click here. For general information about the PHWC follow this link.

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