Farm Animal Welfare

Livestock Antibiotic Stewardship Welfare

How antibiotic stewardship programmes in livestock benefit animal welfare by preserving treatment effectiveness and promoting preventive health.

Key Facts

Antibiotic resistance threatens the effectiveness of treatments for welfare-critical infections
The UK has achieved a 55% reduction in veterinary antibiotic use since 2014
Critically important antibiotics for human medicine are being phased out of veterinary use
Preventive health management reduces reliance on antibiotics while improving welfare
Farm assurance schemes increasingly include antibiotic stewardship requirements

Welfare Considerations

Antibiotic stewardship in livestock has direct and indirect welfare benefits. Preserving antibiotic effectiveness means that when treatment is genuinely needed, it remains effective. Preventive approaches that reduce infection - improved biosecurity, vaccination, and housing - simultaneously improve welfare and reduce antibiotic need. The welfare and public health dimensions of antibiotic stewardship are aligned.

What You Can Do

Support farms with demonstrated antibiotic stewardship programmes
Choose products from farm assurance schemes with antibiotic use reporting requirements
Advocate for mandatory veterinary antibiotic prescription requirements across all livestock species