Cattle Welfare and Antibiotic Stewardship

Antibiotic stewardship in cattle farming reduces antimicrobial resistance while maintaining disease treatment capability. Welfare-compatible stewardship ensures sick animals still receive appropriate treatment.

Key Facts

UK cattle antibiotic use has fallen by approximately 50% since 2014 through stewardship programmes
Highest priority critically important antibiotics including 3rd and 4th generation cephalosporins must be reserved for specific clinical indications
Blanket dry cow therapy is being replaced by selective dry cow therapy without compromising mastitis control
Veterinary prescription requirement for all antibiotics ensures clinical justification for use
Preventive medicine including vaccination reduces the disease burden requiring antibiotic treatment

Welfare Considerations

Antibiotic stewardship must maintain clear welfare protection for sick cattle. Stewardship frameworks that restrict antibiotic use should simultaneously mandate adequate treatment of clinically ill animals.

What You Can Do

Advocate for stewardship frameworks that explicitly protect treatment access for clinically ill cattle
Support preventive medicine investment that reduces disease burden requiring antibiotic use
Choose dairy and beef from farms with documented antibiotic reduction without welfare compromise