Farmers, vets must tackle antibiotic resistance

In a message last week to mark World Antibiotic Awareness Week, Dr Jenny Weston, president of the New Zealand Veterinary Association's dairy cattle branch, says the effectiveness of essential medicines for animal health and wellness must be preserved.

"Globally, few issues are of greater importance to society than antibiotic resistance and the threat this poses to modern medicine – veterinary and human.

"There is growing concern in NZ and internationally about the use of antibiotics in food animal production systems and how this will impact the effectiveness of antibiotics. Many bacteria and diseases are shared between humans and animals so the use of antibiotics in animals can affect how medicines work in humans and vice versa.

"Veterinarians and everyone involved in livestock farming are responsible for improving disease control and putting the focus on preventative health care so that we reduce, replace and refine our use of antibiotics."
She says effective disease control includes vaccinations, high standards of hygiene and husbandry, disinfection procedures, biosecurity measures, good animal nutrition, appropriate housing and close monitoring of livestock.
"We also need to advance innovative therapies to develop alternatives to antibiotics. Weston reassures farmers that veterinarians will continue to responsibly prescribe and administer antibiotics as required, as part of an integrated disease control programme, not a replacement for one.

"And we need to make sure the antibiotics we use are effective. For example, if administering antibiotics it's important this is done correctly, including completing the dose of antibiotics and storing them correctly."

Weston says NZ is well placed to lead in addressing antibiotic resistance as we are one of the world's lowest users of antibiotics in animals.

"Our livestock also have a high health status due to our pastoral based farming systems and strict biosecurity measures at the border."

This year the New Zealand Veterinary Association launched its vision for the future: 'By 2030 New Zealand Inc will not need antibiotics for the maintenance of animal health and wellness.' Veterinarians, working where animals, humans and the environment meet, are leading the way in the responsible use of these medicines in animals and aim for a future where antibiotics will not be routinely needed to maintain animal health and wellness.

Weston says the NZVA backs the World Health Organisation's view that antibiotics critical to human health must have limited use in veterinary medicine and be reserved for occasions on which they are the only appropriate therapy. This will be one of the veterinary profession's early targets as it progressively seeks to reduce, refine and replace antibiotic use.

Veterinary clinics NZ-wide are supporting Antibiotic Awareness Week and promoting preventive health care and responsible antibiotic use, including information on their websites and Facebook pages.