New Zealand aims to stop animal antibiotic use by 2030

The veterinary profession in New Zealand is reducing its reliance on antibiotic use in animal agriculture, and has aimed to phase out the use of all antibiotics by 2030.
Dr. Steve Merchant, president of the New Zealand Veterinary Association, said that by that year, the country will not need antibiotics for the maintenance of animal health and wellness.
“With sharply increasing levels of resistance to antibiotics worldwide, we want animals and, by extension, humans to enter the ‘post-antibiotic’ era as safely as possible,” Merchant said.
Merchant said this is a significant undertaking, requiring considerable teamwork and commitment from the veterinary profession, working with the medical, scientific, government and relevant primary industry sectors.
“Given the wide acceptance that the future for antibiotics is limited, and the close links between animals, humans and the environment we share, achieving this goal is essential. New Zealand is well suited to this challenge; given our size, proximity of the various specialities and relevant industry sectors, and already low use of antibiotics,” said Merchant.
Merchant said in order to make the transition a success, a collaborative effort involving changes in attitudes and behaviors from veterinarians, researchers, government officials, human health professionals and pharmaceutical companies. Veterinarians will use and advocate for careful antibacterial management and monitoring based on responsible use of existing antibiotics as they work with industry partners to jointly test and develop the necessary alternatives.

Inghams Enterprises portfolio bought by Charter Hall Group

Property investor Charter Hall Group has bought a $171.4 million industrial portfolio leased to poultry producer and processor Inghams Enterprises. Charter Hall Group acquired the portfolio of six properties located across Australia on behalf of three of its managed partnership funds.
The portfolio will be entirely leased to Inghams, with initial lease terms of between 20 and 24 years, and Inghams will be a new tenant customer for Charter Hall Group’s portfolio.
Private equity group TPG Capital, which purchased the assets of Inhams Enterprises in March 2013, put its $650 million investment in the Australasian Inghams operation on the market earlier in 2014.
David Harrison, joint managing director for Charter Hall, told Financial News Network that the transaction is inline with the company’s strategy to reweighting its portfolio toward assets with long leases to strong credit quality tenants with leading market positions.
Ingham’s, which has also had an operation in New Zealand since 1990, was founded in 1918 when Walter Ingham bought a piece of bushland in Sydney’s south-west, a rooster and six hens for his son, also known as Walter, according to the company’s website.  It has since grown to become a leading chicken and turkey producer and processor in Australia.