CHANGE IN ANT I B IOT IC USE SHOWS PIG INDUSTRY RESPONDING TO RESISTANCE
CONCERNS Figures released through RUMA suggest the UK pig sector is making significant changes in how it stewards antibiotic use in at least one key area, with a halving in prescribed antibiotics administered in feed for young pigs. National data collected from the UK’s
major feed compounders indicate that at the beginning of 2014, 37% of all feed for young pigs contained a prescribed antibiotic; this had more than halved to 18% by the end of 2016. Furthermore two thirds of the reduction took place in 2016, showing an increasing pace of change. Paul Toplis representing the Agriculture
Industries Confederation (AIC), which is a RUMA member, said that while the figures supplied by AIC members looked at just one area of the sector, antibiotic prescriptions dispensed through feed to young pigs did represent a large proportion of use. These data confirm action was being taken to change practices. He said: “We are encouraged to see
the rate of reduction in 2016 and this reflects the work between vets and farmers to make some courageous changes. Reducing reliance on antibiotics to treat and prevent disease spread could pose significant welfare challenges if not done with the right levels of care and skill.” Mr Toplis added that some of the
reductions appear to have been made possible by the use of zinc oxide, which when added to feed at medicinal levels can reduce the need for antibiotics in pigs by protecting the gut against E. coli bacteria. The Pig Veterinary Society welcomed
the news of the reductions and acknowledged the efforts of its practising members who regularly visit the herds in their care and work with pig farmers to promote responsible and reduced use of antibiotics. The Society’s President Susanna
Williamson said: “We cannot emphasise enough the importance of veterinary expertise and advice in assessing the disease risks and selecting suitable control options. These need to be tailor-made to suit each individual farm and the effects monitored to ensure that initiatives to reduce antibiotic treatment also promote good pig health and welfare.” Georgina Crayford of the National
Pig Association said its NPA Antibiotic Stewardship Programme, launched in 2016, had been helping drive behaviour change. She said: “Among the programme’s recommendations are the capture of usage
PAGE 52 MAY/JUNE 2017 FEED COMPOUNDER
data on pig units, benchmarking use against similar farms, and supporting strict limits on the use of critically important antibiotics. We look forward to seeing the wider effects on use as data trends from the AHDB’s e-Medicine Book, also launched last year, start to come through later in 2017.” John FitzGerald from RUMA, the
independent agricultural and food industry alliance which promotes responsible use of medicines in farm animals, welcomed the results and said they were indicative of the wider industry commitment to reductions. He said: “These data show there
is a clear drive to use antibiotics more responsibly and to work alongside the human medical community in reducing, refining and replacing use of antibiotics globally – as well as building on the successful 10% reduction in UK farm animal use in 2015.”
parts per billion (ppb) and parts per trillion (ppt) levels. “This accreditation sets the bar in global
mycotoxin investigation and reaffirms our customers’ confidence in the precise, accurate and thorough testing of the Alltech 37+ mycotoxin analysis programme,” said Steve Mobley, manager of the European Alltech 37+ mycotoxin laboratory. “Our diagnostic approach allows us
to further investigate livestock and poultry health issues, study global mycotoxin trends and develop comprehensive, customised mycotoxin management programmes for our customers,” continued Mobley. Led by Dr. Emma Daniels, senior
analytical chemist and laboratory coordinator, the Alltech European 37+ laboratory provides much-needed, high-throughput mycotoxin profiling services to accelerate the detection process while saving time and money for European farmers and food producers. Run in conjunction with the Alltech®
ISO ACCREDITATION AWARDED TO ALLTECH’S EUROPEAN
MYCOTOXIN LABORATORY The Alltech 37+®
mycotoxin analytical services
laboratory in Dunboyne, County Meath, Ireland, was accredited in accordance with the international standard ISO/IEC 17025:2005 from Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation, Inc. This objective, third-party assessment distinguishes the managerial and technical requirements of the lab and ensures the accuracy and impartiality of analytical results. The European Alltech 37+ mycotoxin
laboratory, which opened in April 2016, is the third of its kind for Alltech, which has two similar laboratories in the U.S. and China. The proprietary 37+ LC/MS/MS analytical method, developed by Alltech, is included in the scope of accreditation. This analytical method is state-of-the-art in its detection and quantisation of more than 37 mycotoxins at
Mycotoxin Management programme, Alltech continues to collate a powerful database, which recognises mycotoxin issues throughout the world. To date, Alltech’s mycotoxin laboratories have analysed more than 14,000 samples since opening its first dedicated facility in Lexington, Kentucky, USA, in 2012.
Research carried out on mycotoxin
samples analysed in January and February in North American silages showed evidence of type B trichothecenes and fusaric acid. Although type B trichothecenes are still a prevalent mycotoxin group found in silages that can damage the health and productivity of animals, recently, there has been increase in the number of cases of type A trichothecenes and other Penicillium mycotoxins. In Europe, type B trichothecenes are still common among silages, but there is also a high risk from the other Penicillium mycotoxins, which occurred in 45 percent of samples at an average of 1,533 ppb.
XXVIII FEFAC CONGRESS / V ANIMAL NUTRITION CONGRESS 8-9 JUNE 2017 FEFAC and AFACA, respectively representing the European and Andalusian Animal Feed Industry, have published the programme of the XXVIII FEFAC Congress and the V Animal Nutrition Congress to be held in Cordoba, Spain, on 8-9 June 2017. The conference, with the theme “Facing the future together – Unlocking the potential of animal nutrition”, features high ranking speakers from national and international level. On 8 June, European Commissioner for Agriculture & Rural Development, Mr Phil
Hogan, will deliver a key note speech on the competitiveness of the EU animal production sector in the light of CAP post 2020 negotiations. The Spanish Minister for Agriculture and Environment, Mrs Isabel Tejerina, and the Portuguese Minister for Agriculture, Mr Luis Capoulos Santos, are confirmed as speakers in the opening session. For the 2nd
session on
AMR, Speakers from the European Commission, Spanish competent authorities and feed industry will address the role of animal nutrition in bringing down antimicrobial resistance. The final session of the 1st
day will focus on the importance of public communication and
how the public perception of the livestock sector could be changed. On 9 June, the fourth session of the conference welcomes speakers from DG ENVI,
MAPAMA and the food and feed industry who will discuss the importance of the Circular Economy and resource efficiency in the feed chain, and the production of sustainable raw materials. FEFAC and AFACA expect about 550 congress delegates.
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