ANTIMICROBIAL USE AND BIOSECURITY PRACTICES IN PIG PRODUCTION INFOUR EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, COMPARISON, ASSOCIATIONS AND OPPORTUNITIES

摘要

To identify potential intervention factors that may help in the reduction of the need for antimicrobials in animal production, antimicrobial use in pig herds originating from 4 European countries and its association with animal health, production, biosecurity and other disease prevention measures was studied. In the 227 pig herds from Belgium, France, Germany and Sweden, large differences in antimicrobial use were observed within and between countries. As the biosecurity is concerned, large within country differences were observed whereas the between country differences were more limited. Antimicrobial usage in sows was found to be significantly associated with the antimicrobial usage from birth till slaughter in the growers, the use of anti-inflammatory products in weaners and the number of pathogens vaccinated against. Higher antimicrobial usage from birth till slaughter was associated with a shorter farrowing rhythm and a younger weaning age, whereas a better external biosecurity was related with alower antimicrobial usage. A higher external biosecurity was also associated with more weaned piglets per sow per year. Farmers that managed to combine below average antimicrobial use and above national average technical performances were characterisedby higher internal biosecurity and were generally located in a more favourable environment.