Antimicrobial Use in Animal Food Production

The use of antibiotics in human medicine is being monitored in most developed countries, antimicrobial use in livestock and food production, however, is currently poorly monitored and assessed. It has become increasingly recognized that the widespread application of antimicrobials in food production is contributing to the emergence and proliferation of antimicrobial-resistant species. The presence of clinically relevant multidrug-resistant species in food-producing animals may result in human cases of infectious disease. The push towards intensive livestock production systems to meet food demand has increased antimicrobial use in livestock both metaphylactically and prophylactically as growth-promoting agents. Better monitoring, surveillance, and understanding of the consequences of the uninhibited use of antibiotic agents in veterinary are needed to fully determine its potential impact on animal and human health. To protect human, animal, and environmental health and ensure sustainability, there is a dire need to develop alternative options for use in food production. The impacts of antimicrobial use, the proliferation of resistance, zoonotic disease, and environmental effects are discussed. Adequate disinfection protocols, vaccination programs, and alternative options such as antimicrobial peptides and bacteriophages, which may help alleviate the overuse of antibiotics in food-producing animals, are also discussed.