Reported antibiotic use in 90 swine farms in Alberta

Data on the use of antibiotics were collected through an on-farm interview questionnaire. The vast majority of antibiotics were used in feed. The chlortetracycline/sulfamethazine/penicillin combination and tylosin were the most frequently used in-feed antibiotics in weaners and growers/finishers, respectively.

The use of antibiotics through water was reported mostly occasionally in all categories. The use of injectable antibiotics was reported mostly in sick pigs. Penicillin was the most common in-water and injectable antibiotic in all categories. The apparent low frequency of critically important antimicrobials for use in humans (quinolones and 3rd generation cephalosporins) is an encouraging finding from a public health perspective.

The widespread and frequently reported use of penicillin and tetracycline are of public health concern considering that both antimicrobials are also used for therapeutic purposes in human medicine.

Source: Rajic A, Reid-Smith R, Deckert AE, Dewey CE, McEwen SA, Food Safety Division, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development - 5th July 2006

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