Effective Livestock Production with Low Use of Antibiotics

Understand disease prevention and antibiotic use in livestock production

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing problem worldwide and is a threat to the health of animals and humans. Also, for food security and nutrition, the economy for farmers and the environment and climate, we need an efficient livestock production, which in turn requires healthy animals. In many countries, this has led to an extensive and often inappropriate use of antibiotics, which may contribute to increasing antibiotic resistance.

In this course, you will learn how basic disease preventive measures in combination with low and medically rational use of antibiotics can sustain or even increase livestock producivity and limit the emergence of antibiotic resistance.

This course is for livestock keepers and professionals working in the livestock production sector (such as veterinarians and advisors) in low-income countries and emerging economies worldwide. The course might also be of interest for agricultural authorities in those countries.

• Why is antimicrobial resistance (AMR) a problem?
• Introduction to the course
• Introduction to the One Health concept
• Introductory polls and discussions about antibiotics
• What are antibiotics and how does AMR develop?
• Open forum and closing of Week 1
• What can you do to prevent disease?
• Introduction to Week 2
• The principles of disease preventive measures
• The economic benefits of healthy pigs
• The economic benefits of healthy cows
• Open forum and closing of Week 2
• How should you use antibiotics?
• Introduction to Week 3
• How to use antibiotics in a professional way in dairy herds
• The issue of falsified and substandard drugs
• How to use antibiotics in a professional way in pigs and poultry
• Summing up and closing of Week 3
• Combining disease prevention and low use of antibiotics
• Introduction to Week 4
• The collaboration between farmers and veterinarians
• Summary of the concept of combining disease preventive measures and low use of antibiotics
• Final discussion and closing of Week 4 and the course