Farm Animals

Livestock Welfare and Antibiotic Stewardship

Improving farm animal welfare reduces disease burden and antibiotic use, aligning animal welfare goals with the critical public health challenge of antimicrobial resistance.

Key Facts

Stressed animals have suppressed immune systems and higher disease susceptibility
30-40% of global antibiotic use is in livestock in some countries
UK veterinary antibiotic sales have fallen 55% since 2014 alongside welfare improvements
Well-managed, welfare-positive farms typically use fewer antibiotics
Prophylactic mass antibiotic use was banned in the EU in 2022

Welfare Considerations

The connection between welfare and antibiotic use is direct: animals in poor welfare conditions require more antibiotics to survive commercial conditions. Improving welfare reduces antibiotic need while simultaneously reducing animal suffering. This alignment of welfare and public health goals provides a powerful argument for welfare improvement that resonates beyond animal ethics.

What You Can Do

Support welfare schemes linked to antibiotic stewardship requirements
Choose meat from farms with documented low antibiotic usage
Advocate for welfare improvements as an AMR reduction strategy
Learn about the welfare-AMR connection to make more informed food choices
Support research into welfare-based AMR reduction programmes