Antibiotic Stewardship in Animal Agriculture

Overuse of antibiotics in animal agriculture threatens human health and masks poor welfare conditions. Responsible antibiotic stewardship improves both animal welfare and public health outcomes.

Key Facts

Approximately 70% of all antibiotics used globally are given to livestock, often for growth promotion
Prophylactic antibiotic use masks poor welfare conditions rather than addressing underlying causes
Antibiotic resistance is a major global health threat partly driven by agricultural overuse
The EU banned antibiotic growth promoters in 2006, leading to significant reductions in use
Countries with lower antibiotic use in agriculture have not seen increased livestock mortality
Alternatives including vaccines, probiotics, and improved biosecurity can replace antibiotic dependence

Welfare Considerations

Antibiotic overuse in animal agriculture both reflects and perpetuates poor welfare conditions. When animals are so stressed and crowded that disease spreads rapidly, antibiotics become a crutch that allows intensification to continue without addressing root causes. Therapeutic antibiotic use for sick animals is appropriate and supports welfare; prophylactic mass medication of healthy animals reflects inadequate management rather than serving animal welfare. Reducing antibiotic dependence requires improving farming conditions, which directly benefits animal welfare. Better welfare and responsible antibiotic use are aligned goals that reinforce rather than trade off against each other.

What You Can Do

Choose meat products from farms certified to use antibiotics only for therapeutic purposes
Support regulations phasing out prophylactic antibiotic use in livestock production
Advocate for transparency in antibiotic use reporting by food companies and retailers
Reduce meat consumption to decrease demand for antibiotic-intensive production systems