Livestock Antibiotic Stewardship and Animal Welfare: A Two-Way Relationship

Antibiotic use in livestock is both a welfare issue and a public health concern. Improving welfare reduces disease and antibiotic need, while better stewardship prevents resistant infections.

Key Facts

Approximately 70% of all antibiotics used globally are consumed by livestock
Prophylactic (preventive) antibiotic use in group housing masks rather than addresses poor welfare conditions
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health emergency — resistance developed in livestock can spread to humans
High welfare standards — good housing, lower stocking density, enrichment — directly reduce disease incidence
The EU banned preventive antibiotic use in livestock in 2022; many other jurisdictions retain it
Farm assurance schemes increasingly link welfare standards with antibiotic use reduction commitments

Welfare Considerations

Antibiotics in livestock farming are often used to compensate for poor welfare conditions — crowding, stress, poor ventilation, and lack of enrichment — that increase disease susceptibility. This is both a welfare and public health concern: the root causes of disease are not addressed, animals continue in poor welfare conditions, and antibiotic use creates resistance. The relationship runs the other way too: improving welfare conditions reduces disease incidence and antibiotic need, creating a positive cycle. Welfare improvement and antibiotic stewardship are complementary, not competing, goals in responsible livestock production.

What You Can Do

Choose products from farms with antibiotic reduction commitments and transparent reporting
Support farm assurance schemes that link welfare standards to antibiotic use metrics
Advocate for legislation requiring welfare improvement alongside antibiotic use reduction
Ask retailers and food businesses about their suppliers' antibiotic use and welfare policies
Support research linking welfare indicators to disease incidence and antibiotic use at farm level