Welfare Science

Pig Welfare and AMR Link

The connection between farm animal welfare and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is increasingly recognized as a critical public health issue.

Key Facts

High disease prevalence in poor welfare systems drives higher antibiotic use
Prophylactic antibiotic use masking welfare problems contributes disproportionately to resistance
Higher welfare systems with lower disease rates require fewer antibiotics
The One Health framework links animal, human, and environmental health in AMR prevention
Welfare improvement is increasingly recognized as an AMR prevention strategy

Welfare Considerations

Farm animal welfare and antimicrobial resistance are connected - welfare-poor systems that rely on antibiotics to maintain animal health in poor conditions directly contribute to resistance that threatens human medicine. Welfare improvement is thus a public health investment.

What You Can Do

Support policies linking welfare improvement with antibiotic reduction requirements
Advocate for One Health approaches that integrate animal welfare in AMR prevention
Choose animal products from farms demonstrating both welfare improvement and antibiotic reduction