Antibiotic Resistance and Farm Animal Welfare Connections

The overuse of antibiotics in livestock farming drives antimicrobial resistance, a global health threat that is inextricably linked to farm animal welfare conditions.

Key Facts

Over 70% of medically important antibiotics globally are used in animal agriculture
Antibiotics are used prophylactically and as growth promoters in many countries where farm conditions are poor
The EU banned antibiotic growth promoters in 2006; several other countries have followed
Animals in high-density, stressful farming conditions are more susceptible to disease, driving antibiotic demand
Antibiotic-resistant infections kill approximately 1.27 million people annually worldwide
UK antibiotic use in food-producing animals fell 55% between 2014 and 2020 following a voluntary reduction program

Welfare Considerations

The link between poor welfare and antibiotic overuse creates a self-reinforcing cycle: stressed, crowded animals become sick more readily, requiring antibiotics, which drive resistance, which makes future infections harder to treat. Improving farm animal welfare by reducing stocking density, improving housing, and eliminating unnecessary procedures reduces disease pressure and antibiotic demand simultaneously. Better welfare is therefore a direct contributor to global health security.

What You Can Do

Choose animal products from farms certified to antibiotic stewardship standards
Advocate for mandatory restrictions on prophylactic antibiotic use in livestock globally
Support higher welfare farming systems that reduce disease pressure and antibiotic dependency
Back research into vaccination programs and management practices that substitute for antibiotic use
Raise awareness that reducing antibiotic overuse in farming requires improving animal welfare conditions