The consumption of antibiotics for veterinary use is subject to regulations, introduced last year. Its decline is good news in the fight against drug-resistant superbugs.
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Since 2011, breeders and veterinarians have given fewer and fewer antibiotics: exposure to antibiotics has decreased by 23% for cattle, −67% for pigs, or even −72% for poultry. And sales of antibiotics intended for animals fell by 26% last year, thanks to more restrictive regulations, according to the report from the National Health Safety Agency (ANSES) published on November 17.
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“What has changed is that there has been a ban on all preventive uses of antibiotics. That is to say, we cannot give antibiotics beforehand to reassure ourselves, and be sure that there is no development of pathologies”, explains Franck Fourès, director of the Veterinary Medicines Agency. This improvement is also explained by better hygiene and prevention of infections in farm animals, the fact of no longer systematically giving antibiotics to the entire herd when a single animal is sick and then the development of other types of medicines.
Less resistant bacteria
It is important to give fewer antibiotics because when faced with these drugs, bacteria become stronger to survive. Antibiotics will therefore soon no longer have any effect on animals or humans. For farm animals, the objective is therefore achieved: certain bacteria are less resistant to drugs, except in horses. ANSES also warns of the recent increase in the consumption of antibiotics in pets such as dogs and cats.