Livestock Antibiotic Stewardship and Animal Welfare

Reducing antibiotic use in livestock farming improves long-term human health outcomes but must be paired with improved animal welfare to avoid simply withholding treatment from sick animals.

Key Facts

Approximately 70% of global antibiotic consumption is in livestock, primarily for growth promotion and disease prevention
EU banned prophylactic group antibiotic treatment in 2022; many other countries have weaker restrictions
Reduced antibiotic use without improved husbandry can increase animal disease burden and welfare harm
Health-based antibiotic use — treating sick animals — is welfare-positive and should be protected in stewardship frameworks
Denmark achieved major antibiotic use reductions in pigs while maintaining or improving animal health outcomes through management changes

Welfare Considerations

Antibiotic stewardship in livestock farming is an animal welfare issue as well as a human health one. Blanket restrictions on antibiotic use without accompanying improvements in housing, management, and disease prevention can leave sick animals untreated — a welfare failure. The Danish model demonstrates that reducing antibiotic use and improving welfare are complementary when husbandry standards rise: cleaner environments, lower stocking densities, and better nutrition reduce disease incidence, lowering antibiotic need without withholding treatment from animals that genuinely require it. Welfare and stewardship goals align when both are pursued together.

What You Can Do

Support antibiotic stewardship policies that prohibit prophylactic use while protecting therapeutic access for sick animals
Choose meat from producers participating in verified antibiotic stewardship programs
Advocate for veterinary prescription requirements for all livestock antibiotic use in countries with weaker regulations
Reduce meat consumption to lower total antibiotic use in the global livestock system