Antibiotic-Free Livestock Production

Reducing antibiotic use in livestock is a public health imperative, but the transition must be managed carefully to avoid increasing animal suffering from untreated disease.

Key Facts

Livestock account for approximately 70% of global antibiotic consumption by volume
The EU banned prophylactic group antibiotic use in 2022, driving producers toward improved husbandry
Denmark reduced livestock antibiotic use by 50% over a decade while maintaining production levels
Antibiotic-free production systems require improved biosecurity, vaccination, and stockmanship
Animals in poorly managed antibiotic-free systems face increased risk of untreated bacterial infections
Higher-welfare housing reduces disease incidence and antibiotic need simultaneously

Welfare Considerations

Antibiotic reduction programmes create a tension between antimicrobial resistance prevention and animal welfare when the transition is not managed with sufficient investment in disease prevention. Animals should not pay the welfare cost of poorly planned antibiotic reduction through increased untreated illness. The best antibiotic reduction strategies improve underlying health through better housing, management and vaccination rather than simply withdrawing antibiotics without addressing root causes of disease.

What You Can Do

Support antibiotic-free certification schemes that also require high welfare housing standards
Ask producers how they manage disease in antibiotic-reduced systems before buying
Advocate for antibiotic reduction policies that mandate parallel husbandry improvements
Support research into vaccines that reduce dependency on antibiotics in production systems
Choose producers who publish antibiotic use data alongside welfare outcome metrics