Dairy farming groups have launched a new, industry-wide Antimicrobial Stewardship Group, which will set targets on antibiotic use and develop a strategy for reaching them.
The group brings together members of the farming, processing, veterinary and other ancillary industries, and promises to identify the responsibilities and actions required of different organisations to achieve the targets and monitor progress.
Coilin Nunan, scientific advisor to Sustain member the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, welcomed the initiative, saying that targets had proved effective in other countries. But he warned that more fundamental changes are also needed to curb excessive antimicrobial use in the sector. These would include genetic selection for improved health and longevity (rather than higher milk yields), and a shift away from intensive, zero-grazing systems. Read more here.
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Published Friday 14 July 2017
Sustain: Sustain The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
