Facts about Antimicrobials
Antimicrobials have made a major contribution to improving the health and welfare of pigs for several decades. They are vital for the treatment and control of bacterial infections in pigs. Antibiotics are antimicrobial products, which have, in the past, been used in animal feed as antimicrobial growth promoters (AGPs); AGPs have been banned since 1 January 2006, according to BPEX in no. 19 in its series Knowledge Transfer Bulletins.An antimicrobial is a substance that either kills
(microbiocidal) or inhibits (microbiostatic) the
growth of micro-organisms such as bacteria,
fungi, or protozoans.
Disinfectants are antimicrobial substances used
on non-living objects or outside the body.

Veterinary surgeons prescribe antimicrobials for
treatment and control of disease in pigs. These
may be administered in feed, in water or by
injection.
The emergence of antimicrobial resistance as a
serious problem in human medicine has prompted
concerns that resistance or resistant bacteria could
be transferred from livestock to the human
population (and vice versa). The effectiveness of
some medical antimicrobial treatments might be
compromised if this occurred. Research reported in
2011, however, suggested that the animal population
is unlikely to be the major source of antibiotic
resistance in humans.
In the EU the use of antimicrobials in animal feed
as growth promoters has been banned since
1 January 2006.
The EU ban of antimicrobials in 2006 aimed to
reduce the general use of antibiotics in farmed
animals.
After the removal of AGPs in pig diets few problems
were however seen in finishing pigs. Some problems
were seen in young, weaned piglets, which were
susceptible to gut health problems.
This lead to producers having to review their basic
management strategies, in particularly to reduce any
risks factors that could trigger health issues in the
weaned piglets.
Copper was used in the past as a growth promoter
in pigs. However, in 2003, the limit for copper
inclusion in diets was reduced, meaning that the
level of copper inclusion currently allowed does not
have a growth–promoting effect.
Zinc oxide can be prescribed by a veterinary
surgeon to treat enteric health issues. Although
legal the individual producer should aim not to
use zinc oxide as a long term solution – to
reduce the potential heavy metal loading and
contamination of the environment.
Antimicrobials should be used responsibly.
May 2012