Abstract
The development of antimicrobial resistance is triggered by the use of antibiotic drugs. Therefore, the consumption of antibiotics in livestock is monitored, and different measures may be applied if the usage of antibiotic drugs seems inappropriate. Unfortunately, the surveillance of antibiotic consumption is not standardised, and surveillance systems differ. In Germany, the food quality assurance system QS Qualität und Sicherheit GmbH (QS) began the documentation of antibiotic drug usage in pigs in 2012 in a private economic based database, and for its members, documentation has been mandatory in all pig age groups since 2014. In this investigation, we calculated the distribution of the antibiotics use per pig age group and half-year, and the percentage of the active substances used from overall treatments within German pig holdings from 1 July, 2013 to 30 June, 2015. In fattening pigs, the median of the treatment frequency is 4.3 in 2013–2 and exhibits a decreasing trend in this time period up to 2.1 in 2015–1. In weaners the median ranged between 11.3 in 2014–2 and 5.8 in 2013–2. The median of sucklers varies between 21.6 and 25.0. In sucklers and weaners, a clear temporal trend is not seen to date. The share of the active substances differs between the age groups. In fattening pigs, mostly tetracyclines and penicillines were used, occurring in approximately 60% of the total treatments. In weaners, amoxicillin and colistin have the highest shares of the treatment frequency, at approximately 60%. The treatment frequencies of macrolides and penicillines have the highest share in sucklers.
Highlights
The relationship between the development of resistance in bacteria and the use of antibiotics is well-known [1]
This paper focuses on the antibiotic monitoring system of the Qualitat und Sicherheit GmbH (QS) and takes the different age groups of pigs into consideration
QS monitoring system for antibiotic use Approximately 32,913 national Farm-IDs from pig farmers in Germany are connected to the QS system; as such, approximately 95% of the pigs slaughtered in Germany are related to the QS system
Summary
The relationship between the development of resistance in bacteria and the use of antibiotics is well-known [1]. Resistant bacteria are a problem for both human and veterinary medicine. In Germany, being aware of the risk of resistance developing from the use of antibiotics, the Federal Veterinary Chamber ("Bundestierarztekammer"), in cooperation with the working group of the Chief Veterinary Officers of the German federal states ("Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Leitenden Veterinarbeamten"), has published guidelines for the prudent use of antibiotics in animals since 2000. This document describes the prudent use and antibiotic stewardship for veterinarians [2].
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