{"id":5289,"date":"2025-09-11T15:38:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T21:38:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/?p=5289"},"modified":"2025-09-26T10:58:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T16:58:52","slug":"antibiotic-use-in-veterinary-medicine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2025\/09\/11\/5289\/antibiotic-use-in-veterinary-medicine\/","title":{"rendered":"ANTIBIOTIC USE IN VETERINARY MEDICINE"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/HR_Veterinary-blog-slider.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-5295\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/HR_Veterinary-blog-slider.jpg?resize=530%2C149&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"530\" height=\"149\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/HR_Veterinary-blog-slider.jpg?w=640&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/HR_Veterinary-blog-slider.jpg?resize=300%2C84&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 530px) 100vw, 530px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>A ton is a tonne, by any other name.\u00a0 A tonne, also called a metric tonne, is the equivalent of 1,000 kg.\u00a0 There are also imperial tonnes and long tonnes which have a slightly different conversion factor:\u00a0 1 tonne of either is equivalent to 1.01604691 metric tonnes.<\/p>\n<p>The amount of antibiotics used worldwide per year for veterinary purposes is about 100,000 tonnes.\u00a0 This is a lot of drug, even by Mexican cartel standards.\u00a0 Here is a little math:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Atlantic Ocean contains 310,410,900 km<sup>3<\/sup>, or 310,411 m<sup>6 <\/sup>or 310.4 x 10<sup>9<\/sup> L of water <a href=\"#_ftn1\" name=\"_ftnref1\">[1]<\/a><\/li>\n<li>100 million kg of antibiotics equals 10<sup>8<\/sup> kg, or 10<sup>11<\/sup> grams<\/li>\n<li>Now, let\u2019s put all of this into the Atlantic (please note, we only add 1 year\u2019s worth of production!) &#8230;<br \/>&#8230;and we get 10<sup>11<\/sup> \/ 310.4 x 10<sup>9 <\/sup>[g\/L]\u00a0 or 100\/310.4 or <strong>0.322 g\/L (or 322 mg\/L)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Some doomsayers may think that this level of pollution is quite high.\u00a0 Others would point out all of the biodegradation pathways that inactivate, oxidize, bind, and ultimately break down these antibiotics in the environment.\u00a0 As these are mostly tetracyclines, we have to be concerned with accumulation in soil and water, because these compounds do not biodegrade easily in nature <a href=\"#_ftn2\" name=\"_ftnref2\">[2]<\/a>.\u00a0 The worst offenders are probably the quinolone class of antibiotics for which neither UV light nor biological means of degradation seem to be effective.\u00a0 Only the rare tree fungus <em>Gloeophyllum striatum<\/em> was found capable of breaking down ciprofloxacin somewhat after prolonged exposure.<a href=\"#_ftn3\" name=\"_ftnref3\">[3]\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>In a recent article by the group of von Boekel from the Health Geography and Policy Group ETH Zurich <a href=\"#_ftn4\" name=\"_ftnref4\">[4]<\/a>, an overview was provided of world-wide veterinary use of antibiotics.\u00a0 They break it down by anti-infective class, food animal (cattle, sheep, pigs, chicken), and geography, using sophisticated modelling of trends and future use.<\/p>\n<p>The authors set the stage by reminding us that protein from animal sources is an important staple and in high demand.\u00a0 Therefore, the veterinary use of antibiotics is meant not only for treatment, but more for prevention and \u2018growth promotion\u2019.\u00a0 There are different philosophies at work regarding antibiotic use in food animals: while EU countries are more inclined to avoid antibiotics altogether to avoid selection of resistance, the US and many other nations have been reluctant to follow this path.\u00a0 Instead, they believe in monitoring antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates from food sources.<\/p>\n<p>There are no uniform reporting requirements for veterinary use of antibiotics.\u00a0 Data are difficult to assemble and interpret given the disparate sources, ways of reporting data, and many other impediments to analysis.\u00a0 Needless to say, this is purposeful obfuscation on a grand scheme.\u00a0 As stated in the article, Brazil\u2014the largest meat exporter in the world\u2014still largely lacks a legal framework for antimicrobial use.<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few interesting facts that we rarely hear mentioned in the clinic when debating \u2018antibiotic stewardship\u2019:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>In 2017, antimicrobial use (AMU) in animals represented 73% of all antimicrobials given worldwide.<br \/><span style=\"color: #993366;\">In other words, 3x more antibiotics (in tonnes or kg) are being used for veterinary purposes than doctors prescribe for patients in human medicine.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>In 2020, global AMU (tonnes) in the cattle, sheep, chicken, and pig industry was estimated at 99,502 tonnes of active ingredient (95% CI: 68,535\u2013193,052).<br \/><span style=\"color: #993366;\">These CI ranges are very large and reflect our level of ignorance. From an article published in 2023 we would have expected that the 2020 data would be more precise.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>Based on current trends, global AMU was projected to increase by 8.0% to 107,472 tonnes (95% CI: 75,927\u2013202,661) by 2030.<br \/><span style=\"color: #993366;\">We learn what antibiotic manufacturers already know: antibiotics are a growth market for years to come.<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Picture2.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-5291\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Picture2.jpg?resize=336%2C406&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"336\" height=\"406\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Veterinary use by antibiotic class:\n<ul>\n<li>tetracyclines are most common, followed by penicillins, macrolides, and sulfonamides. Older antibiotics like aminoglycosides and amphenicols still find use, albeit to a lesser degree.<\/li>\n<li>With the exception of quinolones, newer antibiotic classes like 3<sup>rd<\/sup> generation cephalosporins are not given often to food animals.<\/li>\n<li>In contrast, pleuromutilins had a long history in veterinary medicine before becoming part of the human antibiotic portfolio.<\/li>\n<li>China banned the veterinary use of polymyxin in 2018.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Veterinary use by country and region:\n<ul>\n<li>Asia (China and India) is using antibiotics much more than the Americas; amazingly little consumption was reported from African nations.<br \/><span style=\"color: #993366;\">The latter may be an artifactual underreporting from countries that do not provide sufficient or reliable statistics.<\/span><\/li>\n<li>In 2020, China, Brazil, India, and the United States remain the top 5 countries for absolute AMU in tonnes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Picture1.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-5290\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Picture1.jpg?resize=400%2C171&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"171\" \/><\/a>We leave it to our readers to draw their own conclusions.\u00a0 As antibiotic stewardship only applies to clinical medicine and only to 25% of total production, stewardship should be extended to veterinary medicine as well.\u00a0 It\u2019s like paying a lot of attention to secure the front door when leaving back doors and windows wide open.<\/p>\n<p>European countries &#8211; and more recently China &#8211; have made significant strides in reducing or eliminating antibiotics in food animals.\u00a0 These are major steps in the right direction; some countries are becoming serious about protecting the environment from antibiotic pollution and preventing AMR.<\/p>\n<p><strong>ABBREVIATIONS<br \/><\/strong>AMR\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 antimicrobial resistance<br \/>AMU\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 antimicrobial use<br \/>CI\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 confidence interval<\/p>\n<p><strong>REFERRENCES<br \/><\/strong><a href=\"#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\">[1]<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/iere.org\/how-many-gallons-is-the-atlantic-ocean\/#Understanding_the_Magnitude\">https:\/\/iere.org\/how-many-gallons-is-the-atlantic-ocean\/#Understanding_the_Magnitude<\/a>.\u00a0 Accessed Sept. 11, 2025<br \/><a href=\"#_ftnref2\" name=\"_ftn2\">[2]<\/a> Li Q.\u00a0 Microbial Degradation of Tetracycline Antibiotics: Mechanisms and Environmental Implications.\u00a0 J. Agric. Food Chem. 2024, 72, 13523<br \/><a href=\"#_ftnref3\" name=\"_ftn3\">[3]<\/a> Wetzstein H.\u00a0 Degradation of the Fluoroquinolone Enrofloxacin by the Brown Rot Fungus Gloeophyllum striatum: Identification of Metabolites.\u00a0 Applied Environment Microbiol, 1997, 63: 4272<br \/><a href=\"#_ftnref4\" name=\"_ftn4\">[4]<\/a> Mulchandani R.\u00a0 Global trends in antimicrobial use in food-producing animals: 2020 to 2030.\u00a0 PLOS Glob Public Health 3(2): e0001305.\u00a0 https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pgph.0001305<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Please also visit our previous post on this subject from 2015 at <a href=\"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2015\/12\/07\/2174\/food-for-thought-sprinkled-with-small-amounts-of-antibiotic-residues\/\">https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2015\/12\/07\/2174\/food-for-thought-sprinkled-with-small-amounts-of-antibiotic-residues\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A ton is a tonne, by any other name.\u00a0 A tonne, also called a metric tonne, is the equivalent of 1,000 kg.\u00a0 There are also imperial tonnes and long tonnes which have a slightly different conversion factor:\u00a0 1 tonne of either is equivalent to 1.01604691 metric tonnes. The amount of <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2025\/09\/11\/5289\/antibiotic-use-in-veterinary-medicine\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  ANTIBIOTIC USE IN VETERINARY MEDICINE<\/span><span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5295,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[140,227,3,18],"tags":[1271,176,2399,403,334,2397,349,42,177,5,1583,2398,223,181,2402,117,535,263,2400,528,2401],"class_list":["post-5289","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting_facts","category-recent_literature","category-the_news","category-the_viewpoint","tag-allphase-pharma-consulting","tag-aminoglycoside","tag-amphenicol","tag-antibiotic-blog","tag-antibiotic-stewardship","tag-biodegradation","tag-cephalosporin","tag-ciprofloxacin","tag-colistin","tag-fda","tag-harald-reinhart","tag-increased-antibiotic-use-in-food-animals","tag-macrolide","tag-mdr","tag-multidrug-resistance","tag-pleuromutilin","tag-quinolone","tag-tetracycline","tag-total-antibiotic-production","tag-veterinary-use-of-antibiotics","tag-veterinary-vs-human-use-of-antibiotics"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/HR_Veterinary-blog-slider.jpg?fit=640%2C180&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4KWFr-1nj","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1521,"url":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2015\/06\/07\/1521\/cattle-and-pigs-and-chickens-oh-yeah\/","url_meta":{"origin":5289,"position":0},"title":"Cattle and Pigs and Chickens, Oh Yeah!","author":"Harald","date":"June 7, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"When the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) Final Rule was announced earlier this month by FDA, the accompanying press release called it a \u2018major step towards judicious antibiotic use\u2019 in veterinary medicine\u00a0[1]. There are several elements which look good, at least on paper: As prescribers of any and all antibiotics it\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Did you know...?&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Did you know...?","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/category\/interesting_facts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"images","src":"http:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/images.jpe","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2174,"url":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2015\/12\/07\/2174\/food-for-thought-sprinkled-with-small-amounts-of-antibiotic-residues\/","url_meta":{"origin":5289,"position":1},"title":"Food for Thought, Sprinkled With Small Amounts of Antibiotic Residues","author":"Harald","date":"December 7, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"80% of antibiotics worldwide are used in veterinary medicine. With only a minor fraction metabolized to inactive compounds, there are plenty of antibiotics excreted by farm animals in unchanged active form. These antibiotic residues are found in manure, in the soil onto which\u00a0manure is sprayed, tilled in, or in the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Recent Literature&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Recent Literature","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/category\/recent_literature\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tramates versicolor","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Tramates-versicolor.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Tramates-versicolor.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Tramates-versicolor.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":846,"url":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2014\/09\/07\/846\/growth-promotion-now-called-prophylaxis-the-logic-of-chicks\/","url_meta":{"origin":5289,"position":2},"title":"Growth Promotion Now Called Prophylaxis \u2013 The Logic of Chicks","author":"Harald","date":"September 7, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"California is getting rid of a time-honored justification for antibiotic use in veterinary medicine [1].\u00a0 No longer will it be acceptable to prescribe them for \u00a0\u201dgrowth promotion\u201d, but rather only for \u201cprophylaxis\u201d.\u00a0 Just like in humans, so it is argued, does prudent use of antibiotics have a place in prevention,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;The News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"The News","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/category\/the_news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Broiler Battery","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/Indiapoultry.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2084,"url":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2015\/10\/28\/2084\/making-the-news-something-hilarious-something-ominous\/","url_meta":{"origin":5289,"position":3},"title":"Making The News: \u00a0Something Hilarious, Something Ominous&#8230;","author":"Harald","date":"October 28, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Hilarious: \u00a0Chicks and Kids Antibiotic use in animals is defended as infection prophylaxis, but the honest reason why chickens are exposed for most days of their short life to antibiotics of various kinds is for growth promotion.\u00a0 Antibiotic use keeps those chicks healthy which in turn makes them eat more\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Recent Literature&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Recent Literature","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/category\/recent_literature\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Hilarious - slider copy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Hilarious-slider-copy.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Hilarious-slider-copy.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Hilarious-slider-copy.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6294,"url":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2026\/03\/14\/6294\/where-are-the-chloramphenicol-derivatives\/","url_meta":{"origin":5289,"position":4},"title":"Where are the Chloramphenicol Derivatives?","author":"Harald","date":"March 14, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The 1st edition of Mandell's textbook 'Principles and Practice of Infectious Disease' was published in 1979.\u00a0 It has grown ever since in size and numbers of chapters.\u00a0 Now in its 10th edition, it is and remains an impressive publication, a 2-volume set, a comprehensive reference textbook, kept up-to-date with periodic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Did you know...?&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Did you know...?","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/category\/interesting_facts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/amphenicols.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/amphenicols.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/amphenicols.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":932,"url":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/2014\/09\/26\/932\/its-not-a-free-enterprise-market-stupid-part-1\/","url_meta":{"origin":5289,"position":5},"title":"It\u2019s Not a Free-Enterprise Market, Stupid!","author":"Harald","date":"September 26, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"The economics of developing antibacterials is a frustrating topic to address.\u00a0 There are unique aspects to the antibiotic market which sets it apart from other medicines, esp. the unique societal aspects of antibiotic use which go beyond the benefit to the individual. IDSA has spoken out in various publications (\u201cBad\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Recent Literature&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Recent Literature","link":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/category\/recent_literature\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/freemarket-slider-copy.jpg?fit=640%2C200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/freemarket-slider-copy.jpg?fit=640%2C200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/09\/freemarket-slider-copy.jpg?fit=640%2C200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5289","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5289"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5289\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5474,"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5289\/revisions\/5474"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5295"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5289"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5289"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/allphasepharma.com\/dir\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5289"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}