Antibiotic Stewardship in Livestock and Animal Welfare

Reducing antibiotic use in livestock farming requires improving animal welfare conditions that drive disease and overuse.

Key Facts

Approximately 70% of medically important antibiotics globally are used in livestock farming
Antibiotic use in livestock is frequently driven by poor welfare conditions including overcrowding and stress
Antimicrobial resistance threatens both human and animal health, with welfare implications across species
Denmark reduced livestock antibiotic use by 50% while improving animal health outcomes through welfare improvements
Prophylactic antibiotic use — dosing healthy animals to prevent disease — is increasingly banned in the EU

Welfare Considerations

Antibiotic overuse in livestock is both a symptom and a cause of poor animal welfare. Animals in overcrowded, stressful conditions have suppressed immunity and higher disease rates requiring antibiotic treatment. Conversely, antibiotic availability can reduce the economic pressure to improve housing conditions. Addressing antibiotic use requires addressing the welfare conditions that drive it — creating a direct link between antimicrobial stewardship and animal welfare improvement.

What You Can Do

Choose meat from farms with antibiotic reduction commitments and welfare certification
Support regulatory bans on prophylactic antibiotic use in livestock
Advocate for welfare standards that reduce disease and the need for antibiotic treatment
Reduce meat consumption to decrease demand from intensive systems relying on antibiotics
Support research into alternatives to antibiotics including vaccines and probiotics in livestock