For the past six decades, antibiotic use has been central to livestock farming in the developed world, despite evidence clearly underlining the danger of its overuse. In this article, I will explain to you the current use of antibiotics in livestock and how that can lead to antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. I will also explain the detrimental effects that these bacteria have on both humans and the ecosystem, as well as what we should do to combat this threat.
At the moment, the use of antibiotics in livestock farming varies drastically between different countries. For example, until recently, the USA had not banned the use of antibiotics as growth stimulants. These stimulants work by improving the output of useful products such as meat or milk for the same quantity of feed. Although most of these products, which are extremely detrimental to the livestock's health, are banned in the US, enforcement of this ban is weak. This is because animal drug sponsors have to work voluntarily with the FDA, thus reducing the speed of change in the industry.
Moreover, the preventative use of antibiotics is allowed in most countries in the world, which exacerbates the growth of resistant bacteria. What happens is that the animals receive low doses of antibiotics for an extended period of time. While this kills most of the bacteria inside them, some have mutations which allow them to survive. These remaining bacteria then replicate by binary fission (splitting into 2 identical daughter cells), resulting in the resistant bacteria spreading in the animal. Some of the bacteria can also give their drug-resistance to other bacteria, further increasing the problem. The reason behind this mass medication is that farmers see routinely dosing their livestock as an insurance system, stopping the spread of diseases in the disease-prone conditions of intensive systems.
Despite preventative antibiotic use being tailored to each individual species of livestock, it always has a detrimental effect on their health. For example, pigs are given antibiotics preweaning, leading the disruption of pathogen defence in the intestine and therefore diarrhoea. Additionally, while several countries, including the US and Australia, have banned fluoroquinolones, in the UK, they are still being added to the drinking water of poultry to prevent respiratory diseases and other bacterial infections. However, in high enough doses, these fluoroquinolones can lead to significant nerve damage.
One of the biggest impacts that these antibiotics have on livestock is that they allow the livestock to be kept in inhumane conditions. This is because intensive systems are incredibly overcrowded and stressful for the animals. However, the preventative use of antibiotics means that the animals are kept alive in these disease-prone conditions. As such, the poor quality of life and living conditions of the animals are exacerbated.
On the flip side, studies have shown that if we keep animals less stressed, they are less likely to succumb to diseases. As such, I contend that we should only use antibiotics on livestock sparingly and instead improve living conditions to reduce the spread of infection.
The excessive use of antimicrobials, such as antibiotics, also has excessive negative effects on the environment and the ecosystem. Mainly, this is due to drug-resistant strains being spread into the environment, mostly through excretion. This contamination can have a devastating effect on the ecosystem as, by killing of one species, a drug-resistant strain of bacteria can cause an entire food chain to collapse.
Pollution of water systems around factories where these medicines are created is also a major cause for the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. A recent study by the European Public Health Alliance explained that factories in China and India that produce most of the world's antibiotics are dumping untreated waste products containing dangerous active products into surrounding waterways, resulting in their contamination. As such, the report highlighted how poor regulation on behalf of the governments and corporations in these countries can result in the proliferation of drug-resistant bacteria.
Even though the overuse of antibiotics in livestock exceedingly affects the ecosystem and other animals, antibiotic-resistant strains can also spread to humans, with disastrous results. This spread is mainly through the water, as well as spread through direct contact with farmers and when meat is prepared. Furthermore, once the bacteria evolve, more powerful antibiotics have to be used, thus developing even stronger strains of resistant bacteria. For example, colistin (an incredibly powerful antibiotic) is still used in pig farming in the UK. This use, however, is extremely risky. Indeed, in 2015, bacteria were discovered in China which have resistance to colistin. This 'superbug' then spread to the UK by December 2015. Colistin is a 'last-resort' antibiotic, so described as it is stocked by hospitals to treat infections if standard antibiotics don't work. By routinely overusing antibiotics in the cultivation of livestock, more and more superbugs develop, making our last line of defence redundant.
Moreover, looking ahead to the future, these problems are likely to get worse in the future. Due to global economic development and population growth, resulting in an increase in food consumption, antibiotic use in livestock is increasing in developing countries around the world. While some would say that antibiotic use could be used to promote growth in lower-income, developing countries, I would argue that this does not compare with the threat to human and animal health.
In conclusion, I would like to talk about what we should do in the future. On the domestic front, the UK government must consider the effect of Brexit. Currently, there are two key proposals making their way through the EU Medicines Agency. However, once the UK leaves the European Union, it will no longer be subject to this legislation. As such, the UK government must take action to mirror EU research and decisions that its government reaches.
Additionally, the issue of antibiotic-resistant bacteria also needs tackling from a supra-national level, with involvement both from the World Health Organisation and the United Nations to create and implement new regulations as well as continue researching this topic.
Furthermore, awareness campaigns need to be carried out, informing the public of the danger of preventative antibiotic use. Consumer reluctance to buy this type of food would then likely put economic pressure onto abattoirs and other institutions to reduce antibiotic use and increase the welfare of animals. More pressure should also be placed on governments and corporations to redefine organic produce. Indeed, at the moment in some countries organic produce does not have to be antibiotic-free. As such, while organic produce is better than non-organic in terms of its impact on the livestock and environment, it is by no means perfect.
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