Antiobiotics in livestock

MillyD123

Hi all,

I came across an interesting Ted Talk about the overuse of antibiotics in the world and the speaker claimed they are routinely given to animals as preventative measure against disease rather than to cure something.

I was just wondering is this the case in Ireland ? Are livestock/poultry etc. routinely given antibiotics here ?

Link to the talk is below:

http://www.ted.com/talks/maryn_mckenna_what_do_we_do_when_antibiotics_don_t_work_any_more

bogman_bass

I'm not up to date with pigs and poultry so maybe somebody else can answer what the story is with them.

With Cattle and sheep routine use of antibiotics would mean (A) another cost and (B) another job so it isn't done. The only exception is once a year Dairy cows are given a "dry cow tube" in each quarter at trying off. She wont be milked again for 2 months after that and the first 3-7 milkings (depending on the product) after she calves will no go to the feed chain.

Other than that antibiotics are used when an animal is sick and withdrawal dates for meat and milk are followed.

All Animal antibiotics need a Prescription from a vet just like like humans would need one from a Doctor to get antibiotics.

I hope that answers your question

MillyD123

Thanks for that Bogman, Yes it does answer my question and reassures me also. The Ted Talk is a USA site so maybe its something that is done more often over the pond. Maybe its necessary as they would have larger industrial type farms. Anyhow thanks again.

_Brian

MillyD123 wrote: »

Thanks for that Bogman, Yes it does answer my question and reassures me also. The Ted Talk is a USA site so maybe its something that is done more often over the pond. Maybe its necessary as they would have larger industrial type farms. Anyhow thanks again.

Definitely routinely added to cattle feeds in the USA..

Here's an example, CTC Powder is prescription only here and really expensive to buy when you have a script, its used if there is a problem with respiratory outbreaks with calves...

In the USA its routinely added to meal for cattle.. See here

bogman_bass

Yeah some people can be a bit sensationalist about these things.
True some farmers might be quick to give a sick animal a shot of something when its a viral infection but the health system is equally guilty of that sin.

To their credit farmers are reducing their usage of antibiotics

ganmo

Ctc used to be added into feeds by mills here too(still needed a script) but it was stopped a few years ago. Most of it was given to young animals at least a year from entering the food chain.

The Irish medicines board(the one that controls human medicine) controls veterinary medicines too

thegreatgonzo

It varies. I'm working in a practice in an area where there are a number of very large farms. I'm very uncomfortable with the amount of antibiotics I see used as preventatives to compensate for inadequate or unhygienic housing. Particularly to do with pneumonia in calves. I'm from a different area of the country and it was a bit of an eye opener.