Article

Antibiotic use in animal agriculture: what have we learned and where are we going?

Department of Population Medicine, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Animal Biotechnology (impact factor: 0.93). 02/2006; 17(2):239-50. DOI:10.1080/10495390600957233 pp.239-50
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Antibiotics are enormously important for the humane and efficient production of food animals. These benefits are somewhat offset by the human and animal health antibiotic resistance risks posed by their use in animals. This article provides an overview of what we have learned about antibiotic resistance as an issue in animal agriculture and where that knowledge could lead us in the future. To preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics, more action is needed to ensure their prudent use, particularly in the case of antibiotic growth promoters and antibiotics deemed critically important for human and animal health.

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Keywords

animal agriculture
 
animal health
 
animal health antibiotic resistance risks
 
antibiotic growth promoters
 
antibiotic resistance
 
Antibiotics
 
benefits
 
efficient production
 
food animals
 
humane
 
prudent use
 

Scott A McEwen