Farm Animal Welfare

Cattle Welfare and Antibiotic Stewardship Progress

Antibiotic use in UK cattle has decreased significantly in recent years. Understanding what has driven this progress informs continued stewardship efforts and welfare improvement.

Key Facts

UK cattle antibiotic use decreased by over 70% between 2015 and 2022
The Agriculture Act 2020 enabled regulation of antibiotic use in livestock
RUMA (Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture) targets have driven significant reductions
Critically important antibiotics for human medicine are now rarely used in cattle
Antibiotic reduction has been achieved without welfare compromise through alternative management

Welfare Considerations

Antibiotic stewardship progress in UK cattle demonstrates that significant reductions are achievable without welfare compromise. Understanding what drove this progress enables application of similar approaches globally.

What You Can Do

Choose UK beef from farms committed to low antibiotic use
Support RUMA targets and antibiotic stewardship programmes
Learn about the drivers of antibiotic reduction in UK cattle production
Advocate for global adoption of UK cattle antibiotic stewardship approaches