Exploring Farmers' Reasons for Antibiotic Use and Misuse in Pig Farms in Brazil.

ABSTRACT: Stressful management that makes farmed pigs susceptible to infections is associated with high antibiotic use (AMU) and resistance (AMR). Pig farmers are key stakeholders to support the international agenda pushing AMU restrictions. We interviewed 58 pig farmers on AMU/AMR, biosecurity, veterinary assistance, disease prevention and treatment, aiming to understand practices and attitudes towards the AMU/AMR problem. Farmers described a reliance on antibiotics to prevent and treat disease while neglecting biosecurity measures. We identified inappropriate AMU practices (high use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, incorrect dosage or treatment length) and unrestricted access to antibiotics, which encouraged imprudent AMU. Nevertheless, most farmers considered this AMU legitimate to guarantee herd p

SUBMITTER: Albernaz-Goncalves R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8004152 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature