Farm Animals

Farmed Pig Antibiotic Stewardship and Welfare Link

The relationship between antibiotic stewardship in pig farming and improved welfare through disease prevention.

Key Facts

UK pig antibiotic use has declined by over 50% since 2015
Antibiotic reduction requires improved disease prevention and management
Welfare improvements including better housing and enrichment reduce disease burden
Critically important antibiotic restriction has driven welfare-positive management changes
The linkage between welfare improvement and antibiotic reduction aligns incentives

Welfare Considerations

Reducing antibiotic use in pig farming requires genuinely improved welfare as a preventive measure, creating aligned incentives for welfare and public health.

What You Can Do

Support antibiotic stewardship programmes in pig farming
Choose pork from farms with low antibiotic use and high welfare standards
Advocate for mandatory antibiotic use reporting with welfare data linkage