Antibiotics are fed to livestock, including cattle, chickens, pigs, fish, and shrimp worldwide daily.[2] Farmers use antibiotics to promote growth and for prevention (prophylaxis) or therapy. Using antibiotics to promote animal growth is increasingly banned worldwide. However, the total amount of antibiotics used in animals in many countries is unknown, but probably increasing due to growing demands for foods of animal origin.

An estimated 200,000 to 250,000 tonnes of antimicrobials are produced and consumed worldwide each year.[3] Animals consume about 70% of these antimicrobials, and humans by 30%. Most antibiotics consumed by humans and animals are excreted in urine and faeces, entering the sewage systems and contaminating the environment. When exposed to antibiotics, bacteria living in humans and animals can develop antibiotic resistance. Those antibiotic-resistant bacteria may spread to other people and into the environment, causing infections and death (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Antibiotic resistance: from the farm to the table.[4]

It is important to note that it is safe to consume meat from antibiotic-fed animals raised in good standard farms if antibiotics were not given to that animal during the last 10-20 days of its life. Withdrawing antibiotics before slaughter ensures that there are no antibiotics in the meat – and reduces the risk of meat being contaminated by drug-resistant bacteria.

The WHO recommends that farmers and the food industry stop the routine use of antibiotics to promote animal growth and prevent disease in healthy animals.[5]  Healthy animals should only receive antibiotics to prevent disease if the disease has been diagnosed in other animals in the same flock, herd, or fish population.

Understanding interconnection between people, animals and their shared environments is important to achieve optimal health outcome. This interconnection is called “One Health”.

Check out these videos about antibiotic fed: