Evaluation of metrics for benchmarking antimicrobial use in the UK dairy industry

The issue of antimicrobial resistance is of global concern across human and animal health. In 2016, the UK government committed to new targets for reducing antimicrobial use (AMU) in livestock. Although a number of metrics for quantifying AMU are defined in the literature, all give slightly differen...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inVeterinary record Vol. 182; no. 13; p. 379
Main Authors Mills, Harriet L, Turner, Andrea, Morgans, Lisa, Massey, Jonathan, Schubert, Hannah, Rees, Gwen, Barrett, David, Dowsey, Andrew, Reyher, Kristen K
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England BMJ Publishing Group Limited 01.03.2018
Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Subjects
Animals
Anti-Infective Agents - therapeutic use
Antimicrobial agents
antimicrobial resistance
antimicrobial Use
Benchmarking - methods
Cattle
Cattle industry
dairy cattle
Dairy farms
Dairy industry
Dairying
Drug dosages
Drug resistance
Humans
Livestock
Public health
United Kingdom
Use statistics
Veterinarians
Veterinary medicine
United Kingdom > UK
Netherlands
antimicrobial Use
antimicrobial resistance
dairy cattle
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Summary:The issue of antimicrobial resistance is of global concern across human and animal health. In 2016, the UK government committed to new targets for reducing antimicrobial use (AMU) in livestock. Although a number of metrics for quantifying AMU are defined in the literature, all give slightly different interpretations. This paper evaluates a selection of metrics for AMU in the dairy industry: total mg, total mg/kg, daily dose and daily course metrics. Although the focus is on their application to the dairy industry, the metrics and issues discussed are relevant across livestock sectors. In order to be used widely, a metric should be understandable and relevant to the veterinarians and farmers who are prescribing and using antimicrobials. This means that clear methods, assumptions (and possible biases), standardised values and exceptions should be published for all metrics. Particularly relevant are assumptions around the number and weight of cattle at risk of treatment and definitions of dose rates and course lengths; incorrect assumptions can mean metrics over-represent or under-represent AMU. The authors recommend that the UK dairy industry work towards the UK-specific metrics using the UK-specific medicine dose and course regimens as well as cattle weights in order to monitor trends nationally.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
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ISSN:0042-4900
2042-7670
DOI:10.1136/vr.104701