The latest antibiotic usage data for the UK pig sector has been announced today (30 May) by AHDB, showing further reductions throughout 2018 to 110 mg/kg (2017: 131 mg/kg) alongside another fall in use of highest-priority critically important antibiotics (HP-CIAs) to 0.06 mg/kg (2017: 0.1 mg/kg). Colistin use remains at negligible levels.

This means the sector stays on target to reach its goal of 99 mg/kg by 2020, as laid out in the Targets Task Force report.

A RUMA spokesperson said: “We welcome the news from AHDB of continuing reductions in both total and highest priority antibiotic use in the UK pig sector, and congratulate all involved in this considerable achievement.

“Reductions and refinements in antibiotic use are always going to get progressively tougher the lower we get, so it’s very positive news that change is being achieved sustainably with attention to both pig health and welfare, and food safety.”

Data for 2017 use can be found in the 2017 VARSS report from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.