Overuse of antibiotics in animal farming is a major driver of antibiotic resistance, threatening both human and animal health - welfare improvements and antimicrobial stewardship are deeply connected.
Antibiotic resistance and animal welfare are not separate problems but deeply linked crises. The high antibiotic use in intensive farming is partly a consequence of welfare conditions - overcrowded, stressed animals with compromised immune systems need more antibiotic treatment. Improving welfare (better housing, lower density, richer environment, better nutrition and stockmanship) directly reduces antibiotic need. Conversely, antibiotic resistance threatens animal welfare because common bacterial infections become untreatable. A welfare-positive approach to antibiotic stewardship focuses on preventing disease through better welfare conditions, reserving antibiotics for genuine therapeutic need, and monitoring resistance patterns at farm level.