Drop in use of antibiotics in animals

Sales of antibiotics for use in animals in the UK are at a four-year low, according to a Defra report.

Overall sales by weight dropped by 9% from 2014 to 2015, while sales for use in food-producing animals dropped 10%, continuing a ten-year downward trend.

As well as the overall reduction, the report shows a drop in sales of the highest priority antibiotics that are critically important for humans. Sales of these made up just over 1% of all antibiotics sold for use in animals during 2015.

Defra Minister for Rural Affairs and Biosecurity, Lord Gardiner, welcomed the report’s findings, saying: “Antibiotic resistance is the biggest threat to modern medicine and we must act now to help keep antibiotics effective for future generations. This report shows the hard work of our vets and farmers is already making a real impact.”