News
22.03.2023 - Foods
Nationwide key figures on the frequency of therapy in livestock (antibiotic use)
The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) published the nationwide figures for treatment frequency in cattle, pigs, chickens, and turkeys for the second half of 2022 (July 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022) on its homepage on February 15, 2023.
The Veterinary Medicines Act aims to reduce the use of antibiotic-active pharmaceuticals as one of its goals. Comparing company-specific treatment frequencies with the nationwide figures, known as the benchmarking system, is part of this concept. Starting in 2023, company-specific treatment frequencies will also be determined for dairy cattle farms to be compared with the nationwide treatment frequency figures. If these figures are exceeded, measures must be initiated. If fewer antibiotics are used in livestock farming, the company-specific treatment frequencies and, consequently, the nationwide figures will decrease over time.
The figure 2 amounts to 2.306 for calves up to 8 months old and 0 for fattening cattle over 8 months old. For pigs, it is 6.908 for piglets up to 30 kg body weight and 2.612 for fattening pigs over 30 kg body weight. A figure 2 of 32.218 was calculated for broiler chickens and 28.016 for fattening turkeys.
Operations that exceed figure 2 must develop a written action plan to reduce antibiotic use and submit it to the responsible supervisory authority. If figure 1 is exceeded, the livestock owner must work with their veterinarian to identify the causes of frequent antibiotic use and, if necessary, take measures to reduce it.
Further details on the new legislation regarding the calculation of treatment frequencies and determination of nationwide figures can be found here.
Sources:
BVL: Nationwide Figures for Treatment Frequency in Fattening Animals
BVL: Determining the Figures for Treatment Frequencies
BMEL: Development of the Figures for Treatment Frequency