Vaccine use rises while antibiotic use falls in cattle
© Tim Scrivener The number of vaccine doses sold for use in cattle increased by 15% between 2011 and 2017, according to a new report.
The report, published by the AHDB, coincides with a drop in sales of antibiotics for use in livestock in 2017.
AHDB lead vet Derek Armstrong said: “Vaccines have an important part to play in helping to meet the industry targets of using antibiotics more prudently, reducing disease and improving animal welfare and performance.
“Strategic vaccination should be part of every farmer’s plan to protect animal health.”
Vaccine sales
The recovery of vaccine sales in 2017 follows a slump in 2015 and 2016 after they peaked in 2014. This may be related to the period of low milk prices and reduced incomes over the same period.
See also: Sector-specific antibiotic targets for the livestock industry
“Farmers are prepared to spend money when they have it to protect the health and welfare of their animals, but when incomes fall and overdrafts are under pressure, vaccines may be a victim of cost-cutting,” said Mr Armstrong.
Respiratory disease vaccination
Sales of the vaccine for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) and calf pneumonia were up 43% and 30%, respectively.
Mr Armstrong said this is a welcome finding because pneumonia is one of the diseases that have the biggest effect on animals and one of the commonest reasons for antibiotic use in cattle.
Vaccine sales for these two respiratory diseases were also the least affected during 2015-16.
While the report is very positive, Mr Armstrong says there is “considerable scope” to offer cattle more protection in the form of vaccines from common diseases.
Vaccination uptake for relevant ‘at-risk’ populations |
||||||
|
Vaccine uptake |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
2017 |
|
Total number of cattle younger than one year |
2,925,500 |
2,807,500 |
2,821,000 |
2,939,000 |
2,970,500 |
2,948,000 |
|
Calf pneumonia vaccines |
31% |
35% |
36% |
36% |
37% |
38% |
|
Total cattle and calves |
9,749,341 |
9,682,307 |
9,693,111 |
9,815,554 |
9,806,302 |
9,786,733 |
|
IBR |
18% |
20% |
21% |
20% |
20% |
23% |
|
Total number of breeding females older than one year |
4,819,500 |
4,787,000 |
4,785,000 |
4,861,500 |
4,911,500 |
4,908,500 |
|
BVD |
44% |
45% |
48% |
45% |
43% |
45% |
|
Leptospirosis |
36% |
33% |
37% |
32% |
31% |
33% |
|
Total no. of breeding females (older than two years) |
3,425,500 |
3,382,000 |
3,415,000 |
3,470,500 |
3,472,000 |
3,462,000 |
|
Calf enteritis |
18% |
12% |
17% |
17% |
16% |
18% |
|
Total uses of vaccine sold |
9,348,562 |
9,325,950 |
10,135,160 |
9,694,725 |
9,557,830 |
10,133,805 |
Antibiotics use status
One year on from the setting of sector-specific antibiotic targets to be achieved by 2020, the Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture alliance (Ruma) released an update.
Key points from the review released on 16 November included:
- UK sales of antibiotics for food-producing animals have fallen 40% since 2013.
- Overall use in 2017 was 37mg/kg, one of the lowest in the EU.
- Highest priority critically important antibiotics (HP-CIA) sales fell 52% between 2013 and 2017 from an already low level, and 29% between 2016 and 2017: just 7kg of colistin was sold for veterinary use last year.
- Only 30% of the UK’s antibiotics are now estimated to be used to treat disease in farm animals. More than one billion farm animals are reared and managed in the UK every year.
- Further specific targets for each livestock sector, described in the Targets Task Force report, are due to be achieved by 2020.