The use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine: Representations of antibiotics and biosecurity by pig farmers

Abstract

The heavy reliance on antibiotics in livestock farming has contributed to the development of antimicrobial resistance. To tackle this phenomenon, it is important to know the determinants of their use. Thus, this study investigated the way in which French pig farmers perceive antibiotics and biosecurity depending on their farm's department and ALEA (Animal Level of Exposure to Antimicrobials). A qualitative study was carried out on 87 livestock farms of a French agricultural cooperative specialising in pig production. The results show a social representation of antibiotics organized around the notion of demedication (i.e. the elimination or reduction of reliance on antibiotics). Concerning biosecurity, “large consumers” of antibiotics associate it with the idea of constraints, regulatory standards and temporal distances separating them from this practice.