Livestock

Livestock Antibiotic Use and Animal Welfare

Antibiotic use in farming is linked to both animal welfare and antimicrobial resistance.

Key Facts

70% of global antibiotic use is in food animal production
Prophylactic antibiotics mask welfare problems rather than addressing root causes
Antibiotic resistant bacteria threaten human and animal medicine
Many high-welfare systems use significantly fewer antibiotics through better husbandry

Welfare Considerations

Antibiotics used prophylactically can mask welfare problems including overcrowding, poor hygiene, and stress that would otherwise be apparent and demand correction. Welfare improvements — better housing, lower stocking density, less stress — typically reduce antibiotic needs. The link between welfare and antibiotic reduction makes welfare improvement a public health priority.

What You Can Do

Choose products from farms with low antibiotic use commitments
Support mandatory antibiotic use reporting in the agricultural sector
Advocate for a ban on prophylactic antibiotic use in farming
Back One Health approaches that link animal welfare, antibiotic stewardship, and public health