Farmed Animals

Antibiotic Use and Livestock Welfare

Antibiotic stewardship in livestock farming is important for both animal welfare and public health, requiring careful balance.

Key Facts

Antibiotics are essential for treating bacterial infections that cause significant animal suffering
Prophylactic antibiotic use drives antimicrobial resistance threatening human medicine
The UK has significantly reduced total antibiotic use in livestock since 2014
Reducing antibiotic use without welfare compromise requires improved housing, biosecurity, and management
The responsible use of antibiotics treats sick animals promptly while minimising prophylactic use

Welfare Considerations

Antibiotic stewardship in livestock requires balancing animal welfare and public health interests. Withholding antibiotics from animals that need them causes suffering and is unacceptable from a welfare perspective. However, prophylactic and metaphylactic use drives resistance that threatens both human and animal medicine. The solution lies in reducing disease through better management and housing rather than in restricting therapeutic use.

What You Can Do

Support antibiotic stewardship programs that protect both animal welfare and human health
Advocate for improved livestock management as the primary strategy for reducing antibiotic use
Choose meat from farms with documented responsible antibiotic use
Raise awareness about the connection between livestock housing, welfare, and antibiotic use
Support research into vaccines and alternatives that reduce reliance on antibiotics