Antimicrobial Resistance and Farm Animal Welfare

The overuse of antibiotics in farm animals to prevent disease in poor conditions links animal welfare directly to the global public health threat of antimicrobial resistance.

Key Facts

Agriculture accounts for over 70% of global antibiotic use
Prophylactic use to prevent disease in overcrowded conditions masks underlying welfare problems
AMR pathogens pose direct threats to both animal and human health
Denmark achieved a 50% reduction in farm antibiotic use through a national programme
UK farm antibiotic use has declined by 50% since 2014 through industry and government action

Welfare Considerations

The link between antibiotic use and animal welfare is bidirectional. Poor welfare conditions increase disease susceptibility requiring antibiotic treatment. Antibiotics used prophylactically mask welfare problems that should instead be addressed through improved husbandry. Reducing antibiotic use sustainably requires improving the conditions that make animals sick in the first place. This creates a positive welfare-public health alignment: what is good for animal welfare is also good for protecting antibiotic efficacy.

What You Can Do

Choose meat from farms with low antibiotic use verified through assurance schemes
Support the Alliance to Save our Antibiotics campaigns
Reduce meat consumption to lower demand for intensively produced products
Advocate for national antibiotic use reduction targets with public reporting
Follow farm antibiotic use data published by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate