Red Tractor pork producers must use electronic Medicine Book

Red Tractor pig producers will be required to use the electronic medicine book (e-MB) to record the total collated antibiotics they administer to their herds from November.
 
The pig industry has shown its support for the move, which will help the sector better demonstrate how producers are reducing usage.
 
Robust data will also help Ruma’s (Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance) Targets Task Force to propose realistic reduction targets for the sector. National usage figures for UK pig holdings do not currently exist.
 
The e-MB is a website platform developed by AHDB Pork to record collated data on antibiotic usage in the pig sector.
 
See also: Red Tractor accused of mission creep as consultation ends

Red Tractor-assured farms already record all medicines that are administered, but until now the e-MB has been optional. 
 
Red Tractor’s sector chairman for pigs, Mike Sheldon, said: “Red Tractor farmers currently administer antibiotics as little as possible but as much as is required. The e-MB will provide that data to demonstrate this point to government and its agencies.
 
Mr Sheldon said Red Tractor had received overwhelming support from retailers, trade associations and animals welfare groups during the consultation.
 
He added: “We appreciate that this will be new to most producers but electronic data will help the pig industry to play its part in tackling antimicrobial resistance – an issue which affects all livestock farmers.”

Important step

NPA chief executive Zoe Davies said: “This is a very important step forward for the pig industry. Collection and collation of on-farm antibiotic usage data is a key commitment of the NPA’s Antibiotic Stewardship programme.
 
“We are proud of how the pig industry is stepping up to the challenge and taking this big leap forward to demonstrate responsible use of antibiotics and reduce and refine usage where necessary.”

A user guide for the e-MB is online to provide support to producers who need it. It can be found at pork.ahdb.org.uk
 
The e-MB platform can be accessed at emb-pigs.ahdb.org.uk