Confined Animal Agriculture and Antibiotic Resistance

The intensive use of antibiotics in animal agriculture contributes to antimicrobial resistance, creating welfare and public health consequences for both humans and animals.

Key Facts

Over 70% of medically important antibiotics globally are used in food animal production
Prophylactic antibiotics are routinely added to feed in intensive systems to prevent disease from crowding
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread from animals to humans through food, environment, and direct contact
The EU banned prophylactic antibiotic use in 2022 requiring transition to better management practices
Reducing crowding is the most effective way to reduce antibiotic dependency in livestock farming

Welfare Considerations

Antibiotic resistance in animal agriculture represents a welfare failure at two levels: the chronic disease and crowding conditions that necessitate antibiotic prophylaxis cause ongoing animal suffering, and the resulting resistant bacteria harm humans who need antibiotics to treat serious infections. Reducing antibiotic use requires improving animal welfare conditions that create disease pressure in the first place.

What You Can Do

Choose animal products from producers certified to use antibiotics only therapeutically
Advocate for bans on prophylactic antibiotic use in animal agriculture globally
Support welfare standards that reduce stocking densities making antibiotic dependency less necessary
Reduce consumption of animal products from intensive systems to lower demand pressure
Learn about the connection between animal welfare conditions and antibiotic resistance