A mixed method approach to analysing patterns and drivers of antibiotic use and resistance in beef farms in Argentina

IntroductionAntimicrobial resistance is a challenge to be faced by all livestock sectors; within beef farming, antibiotic use patterns vary by country and management practices. Argentina is a country with high beef production & consumption but limited information surrounding antibiotic use....

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Cherrill Bedford, Maria Laura Galotta, Georgios Oikonomou, Guadalupe de Yaniz, Matías Nardello, Sergio Sánchez Bruni, Peers Davies
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Veterinary Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1454032/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849221447914881024
author Cherrill Bedford
Maria Laura Galotta
Georgios Oikonomou
Guadalupe de Yaniz
Matías Nardello
Sergio Sánchez Bruni
Peers Davies
author_facet Cherrill Bedford
Maria Laura Galotta
Georgios Oikonomou
Guadalupe de Yaniz
Matías Nardello
Sergio Sánchez Bruni
Peers Davies
author_sort Cherrill Bedford
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionAntimicrobial resistance is a challenge to be faced by all livestock sectors; within beef farming, antibiotic use patterns vary by country and management practices. Argentina is a country with high beef production & consumption but limited information surrounding antibiotic use. The aims of this project was to understand how antibiotics are being used across the beef industry in Argentina and exploring drivers of usage.MethodsQuantitative and qualitative data was collected by: A survey of breeding and feedlot farms including antibiotic use (from purchase data); a detailed analysis of two feedlot farms’ therapeutic antibiotic use records; a survey of vets’ views on certain antibiotic practices; and a focus group of farmers and vets focusing on wider influences affecting decision making. Antibiotic use data was calculated using mg/population corrected unit (PCU) (ESVAC) and thematic analysis was used to identify drivers of antibiotic use among participants.ResultsThe median use across 17 farms that supplied purchase data was 76.52  mg/kg PCU (ESVAC; IQR  =  36.81  mg/kg PCU [ESVAC]). The detailed farm records showed that the largest reason for treatment was group treatments (72.92% of treatments) followed by treatment for respiratory disease (12.75% of treatments). Macrolides accounted for 76.37% of treatments. Nearly half of farms used routine prophylactic treatment for arriving animals (n  =  7/18). The use of quarantine and ‘sick pens’ were seen as important by surveyed vets with antibiotic prophylaxis and in-feed antibiotics seen as contributors to antibiotic resistance. The focus group highlighted the influence of the economic and political landscape on husbandry practices and the responsibility the farming sector had towards antibiotic stewardship.DiscussionOverall, Argentine beef feedlots resemble North American beef feedlots in terms of antibiotic practices but with considerably lower usage, with in-feed monensin representing a large proportion of total ABU. The adaptation period presents a challenge to animal health; antibiotics are administered a prophylaxis, metaphylactic and individual treatments depending on farm management practices. Further research into internationally comparable measures of ABU and detailed cost-benefit analysis of practical, on-farm interventions are needed to aid improved antimicrobial stewardship in livestock systems globally.
format Article
id doaj-art-5b034384cdbe47caa5dd3e234f04a5fe
institution Kabale University
issn 2297-1769
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Veterinary Science
spelling doaj-art-5b034384cdbe47caa5dd3e234f04a5fe2024-11-13T15:41:03ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692024-11-011110.3389/fvets.2024.14540321454032A mixed method approach to analysing patterns and drivers of antibiotic use and resistance in beef farms in ArgentinaCherrill Bedford0Maria Laura Galotta1Georgios Oikonomou2Guadalupe de Yaniz3Matías Nardello4Sergio Sánchez Bruni5Peers Davies6Department of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United KingdomLaboratorio de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires-Centro de Investigación Veterinaria Tandil (CIVETAN)-CONICET, Tandil, ArgentinaDepartment of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United KingdomLaboratorio de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires-Centro de Investigación Veterinaria Tandil (CIVETAN)-CONICET, Tandil, ArgentinaLaboratorio de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires-Centro de Investigación Veterinaria Tandil (CIVETAN)-CONICET, Tandil, ArgentinaLaboratorio de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires-Centro de Investigación Veterinaria Tandil (CIVETAN)-CONICET, Tandil, ArgentinaDepartment of Livestock and One Health, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United KingdomIntroductionAntimicrobial resistance is a challenge to be faced by all livestock sectors; within beef farming, antibiotic use patterns vary by country and management practices. Argentina is a country with high beef production & consumption but limited information surrounding antibiotic use. The aims of this project was to understand how antibiotics are being used across the beef industry in Argentina and exploring drivers of usage.MethodsQuantitative and qualitative data was collected by: A survey of breeding and feedlot farms including antibiotic use (from purchase data); a detailed analysis of two feedlot farms’ therapeutic antibiotic use records; a survey of vets’ views on certain antibiotic practices; and a focus group of farmers and vets focusing on wider influences affecting decision making. Antibiotic use data was calculated using mg/population corrected unit (PCU) (ESVAC) and thematic analysis was used to identify drivers of antibiotic use among participants.ResultsThe median use across 17 farms that supplied purchase data was 76.52  mg/kg PCU (ESVAC; IQR  =  36.81  mg/kg PCU [ESVAC]). The detailed farm records showed that the largest reason for treatment was group treatments (72.92% of treatments) followed by treatment for respiratory disease (12.75% of treatments). Macrolides accounted for 76.37% of treatments. Nearly half of farms used routine prophylactic treatment for arriving animals (n  =  7/18). The use of quarantine and ‘sick pens’ were seen as important by surveyed vets with antibiotic prophylaxis and in-feed antibiotics seen as contributors to antibiotic resistance. The focus group highlighted the influence of the economic and political landscape on husbandry practices and the responsibility the farming sector had towards antibiotic stewardship.DiscussionOverall, Argentine beef feedlots resemble North American beef feedlots in terms of antibiotic practices but with considerably lower usage, with in-feed monensin representing a large proportion of total ABU. The adaptation period presents a challenge to animal health; antibiotics are administered a prophylaxis, metaphylactic and individual treatments depending on farm management practices. Further research into internationally comparable measures of ABU and detailed cost-benefit analysis of practical, on-farm interventions are needed to aid improved antimicrobial stewardship in livestock systems globally.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1454032/fullantibiotic useantibiotic resistancefeedlotsbeef farmsbovine respiratory diseaseArgentina
spellingShingle Cherrill Bedford
Maria Laura Galotta
Georgios Oikonomou
Guadalupe de Yaniz
Matías Nardello
Sergio Sánchez Bruni
Peers Davies
A mixed method approach to analysing patterns and drivers of antibiotic use and resistance in beef farms in Argentina
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
antibiotic use
antibiotic resistance
feedlots
beef farms
bovine respiratory disease
Argentina
title A mixed method approach to analysing patterns and drivers of antibiotic use and resistance in beef farms in Argentina
title_full A mixed method approach to analysing patterns and drivers of antibiotic use and resistance in beef farms in Argentina
title_fullStr A mixed method approach to analysing patterns and drivers of antibiotic use and resistance in beef farms in Argentina
title_full_unstemmed A mixed method approach to analysing patterns and drivers of antibiotic use and resistance in beef farms in Argentina
title_short A mixed method approach to analysing patterns and drivers of antibiotic use and resistance in beef farms in Argentina
title_sort mixed method approach to analysing patterns and drivers of antibiotic use and resistance in beef farms in argentina
topic antibiotic use
antibiotic resistance
feedlots
beef farms
bovine respiratory disease
Argentina
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2024.1454032/full
work_keys_str_mv AT cherrillbedford amixedmethodapproachtoanalysingpatternsanddriversofantibioticuseandresistanceinbeeffarmsinargentina
AT marialauragalotta amixedmethodapproachtoanalysingpatternsanddriversofantibioticuseandresistanceinbeeffarmsinargentina
AT georgiosoikonomou amixedmethodapproachtoanalysingpatternsanddriversofantibioticuseandresistanceinbeeffarmsinargentina
AT guadalupedeyaniz amixedmethodapproachtoanalysingpatternsanddriversofantibioticuseandresistanceinbeeffarmsinargentina
AT matiasnardello amixedmethodapproachtoanalysingpatternsanddriversofantibioticuseandresistanceinbeeffarmsinargentina
AT sergiosanchezbruni amixedmethodapproachtoanalysingpatternsanddriversofantibioticuseandresistanceinbeeffarmsinargentina
AT peersdavies amixedmethodapproachtoanalysingpatternsanddriversofantibioticuseandresistanceinbeeffarmsinargentina
AT cherrillbedford mixedmethodapproachtoanalysingpatternsanddriversofantibioticuseandresistanceinbeeffarmsinargentina
AT marialauragalotta mixedmethodapproachtoanalysingpatternsanddriversofantibioticuseandresistanceinbeeffarmsinargentina
AT georgiosoikonomou mixedmethodapproachtoanalysingpatternsanddriversofantibioticuseandresistanceinbeeffarmsinargentina
AT guadalupedeyaniz mixedmethodapproachtoanalysingpatternsanddriversofantibioticuseandresistanceinbeeffarmsinargentina
AT matiasnardello mixedmethodapproachtoanalysingpatternsanddriversofantibioticuseandresistanceinbeeffarmsinargentina
AT sergiosanchezbruni mixedmethodapproachtoanalysingpatternsanddriversofantibioticuseandresistanceinbeeffarmsinargentina
AT peersdavies mixedmethodapproachtoanalysingpatternsanddriversofantibioticuseandresistanceinbeeffarmsinargentina