Swiss agriculture reduces antibiotics usage by half

The use of antibiotics in the Swiss agriculture sector has been cut by almost half over the past decade, claims the Swiss Farmers’ Union (SFU).

Although work remains to be done, they called for similar efforts in the human medical realm.

In a press release to mark the beginning of Antibiotic Awareness Week, which Switzerland is celebrating in conjunction with the World Health Organizationexternal link (WHO), the SFU said the total quantity of antimicrobic substances used in treatment of livestock had dropped by 45% since 2008.

This is due to various factors, it said: firstly, a recent ruling has banned the usage of critical antibiotics when it comes to livestock. This excludes the use of any preventative treatment or treatment that has not been preceded by a veterinary consultation.

In the case of poultry and eggs, it said, Switzerland uses much less antibiotics than other countries largely owing to the stringent measures of hygiene that are in place across the country.

Meanwhile, milk producers have also managed to cut down by privileging complementary medicines and by selective breeding, which also helps to prevent the development of resistances, a problem that is a cause of concern for animals as well as humans.