Welfare Science

Welfare Science: Antibiotic Stewardship as Welfare Issue

Antimicrobial resistance driven by agricultural antibiotic use is a welfare issue as well as a public health concern, since resistant infections cause more suffering in animals.

Key Facts

Agricultural use of antibiotics represents a significant proportion of total global antibiotic consumption
Resistance in animal pathogens reduces treatment effectiveness causing prolonged animal suffering
Some countries ban antibiotic growth promoters but continue therapeutic use
Veterinary antibiotic prescribing now requires clinical justification in UK and EU
Improving animal welfare reduces the need for antibiotic treatment in a virtuous cycle

Welfare Considerations

The link between antibiotic use and welfare runs in both directions: poor welfare increases disease and antibiotic use, while antibiotic resistance makes animal disease harder to treat and more painful. Better welfare is both a cause and consequence of appropriate antibiotic stewardship.

What You Can Do

Support farm assurance schemes requiring responsible antibiotic use
Advocate for complete ban on preventive antibiotic use without veterinary justification
Choose antibiotic-responsible products when making food choices
Engage with One Health approaches connecting human, animal and environmental health