The intersection of antimicrobial resistance and livestock welfare requires approaches that improve welfare as the primary route to reducing antibiotic dependence.
Antimicrobial resistance and animal welfare are deeply interconnected — the conditions that require high antibiotic use in livestock are precisely the conditions that harm animal welfare. High stocking densities, barren environments, rapid growth genetics, and poor ventilation all increase disease pressure and antibiotic dependence simultaneously. The most sustainable route to reducing antibiotic use is therefore improvement of the underlying welfare conditions that create disease pressure, rather than simply restricting antibiotic access while maintaining conditions that guarantee disease. This framing positions welfare improvement as the positive alternative rather than antibiotic restriction as the negative intervention, creating better incentives for farmers to invest in system improvements.