Livestock

Antimicrobial Resistance and Farm Animal Welfare

Antibiotic overuse in livestock farming drives antimicrobial resistance, with links to both animal welfare and global public health.

Key Facts

Approximately 70% of global antibiotic use occurs in food animal production
Denmark reduced farm antibiotic use by 50% after regulatory reform with minimal production impact
WHO has classified colistin as critically important for human medicine; it is still used in animal agriculture
Prophylactic group treatment masks welfare problems rather than addressing them
Higher welfare farming systems typically have lower antibiotic use

Welfare Considerations

Chronic antibiotic use in livestock often compensates for overcrowded, stressful conditions rather than treating disease. This cycle maintains animal welfare problems while driving resistance. Higher welfare systems with lower stocking density, better ventilation, enrichment, and outdoor access show substantially lower antibiotic use because animals are healthier. Antimicrobial stewardship and welfare improvement are therefore complementary goals.

What You Can Do

Choose antibiotic-free or low-antibiotic certified meat products
Support political action on farm antibiotic stewardship
Advocate for the EU farm antibiotic reduction targets to be adopted globally
Engage with AMR campaigning organisations like WAAW
Reduce meat consumption to decrease overall farm antibiotic demand