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Study sheds light on antimicrobial use in US wean-to-market pigs
The findings of a recent study show it’s feasible to obtain data on antimicrobial use while keeping information confidential.
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Mix it up: Resuspension times for injectable antibiotics can vary widely
DISCOVERIES, Issue 24: An analysis of three similar injectable antibiotics used for swine respiratory disease pathogens demonstrates that resuspension times can differ substantially.
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Raising pigs without antibiotics offers niche market but with limitations
Markets for pork produced without antibiotics continue to grow. But this method of production is not for every farm.
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Antimicrobial resistance causing few clinical problems in swine
Clinical problems in swine due to antimicrobial-resistant infections are rare. In fact, patterns of resistance in swine have been stable for a long time.
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Free booklet offers insights on responsible, effective antimicrobial use in swine
Antibiotics remain essential tools for maintaining high levels of herd health and welfare, but veterinarians and producers must use them responsibly.
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Minimal evidence of antibiotic resistance in swine
Data indicate minimal resistant infections in swine, but that will not deter efforts to maximize preventive care and minimize the need for antibiotics.
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Aureomix S finding its niche, and then some, in VFD era
TOOLBOX, Issue 4: An interview with Thomas Painter, DVM, US Pork Technical Services, Zoetis
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Veterinarian says VFD led to more strategic antibiotic use
The Food and Drug Administration’s revised rules for antibiotic use in hogs, including the VFD, has led to a reduction in and more strategic use of antibiotics in swine.
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Davies: Focus on optimizing antibiotic use, not volume
The US pork industry has a good track record for using antibiotics responsibly, but how should it be graded for its efforts? By volume? Types of antibiotics used? Resistance trends?
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New technologies may yield new insights on antibiotic use, resistance
The pork industry has a reputation for using antibiotics responsibly, but when the industry looks at antimicrobial use and tries to understand how products either mitigate or promote resistance,...
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‘One Health’ approach needed to balance antibiotic usage, animal welfare
When it comes to responsible antibiotic management, there are wide-ranging views and interpretations on usage, impact, future direction and even terminology.
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FDA’s antibiotic guidance and VFDs continue a smooth transition
It’s fast approaching 2 years since the FDA implemented its revised guidance for antibiotic use in food animals. At the center of the effort is the veterinary feed directive (VFD).
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Nerem: Shift focus to responsible antibiotic use, not arbitrary reductions
Some retailers and foodservice companies are asking for animals that have never received antibiotics (“no antibiotics ever” or NAE), but that request fails to recognize that animals — like...
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Veterinarian says both pigs, caregivers suffered in antibiotic-free study
A study looking at how pigs challenged with PRRS performed in an antibiotic-free production setting needed to be stopped for welfare reasons so the pigs could be treated with antibiotics.
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Streptococcus suis leads SHIC’s Swine Bacterial Disease Matrix list
Viruses tend to get first priority when it comes to monitoring swine diseases and herd health, but bacteria can wreak just as much havoc.
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Tyson VP: ‘Antibiotic issue is far from black and white’
Producer and consumer choice are equally important when it comes to producing quality pork products — and it’s important not to put limits on either of them, according to Kent Harrison, vice...
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Raising pigs without antibiotics? Plan to ‘sweat the small stuff’
Follow this rule if you’re raising pigs without antibiotics: “Sweat the small stuff.” That’s the advice from Doug MacDougald, DVM, for any farm that wants to eliminate antibiotics without...
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Pork industry needs to balance animal well-being with antibiotic pressures
After 37 years of swine veterinary practice, John Baker, DVM, Boonville, Indiana, sees producers and veterinarians entering a new era in antibiotic management — one that focuses not on arbitrarily...
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Feed duration biggest issue under new swine VFD rule
More than a year into FDA’s new veterinary feed directive (VFD) rules, pork producers and veterinarians are finding the potential problem spots.
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Antibiotic use at weaning can reduce acute illness in pigs
The transition into the nursery phase for just-weaned pigs presents many challenges as they adapt to a new diet, a new environment and increased competition. Young pigs often need some extra help.
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Dietary alternatives to antibiotics show mixed results in ISU research review
Given the task to find and review research on dietary alternatives for sub-therapeutic antibiotic growth promotants, Wes Schweer and a team of pork-industry experts didn’t know what to expect.
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What have we learned about antibiotic-resistant genes in groundwater?
Swine manure is a valuable resource for cropland, but understanding its potential impact on groundwater is an ongoing priority.
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Iowa Select veterinarian taking a more targeted approach with antibiotics
Iowa Select Farms’ targeted approach to antibiotic use within its production system began well before the FDA’s expanded VFD rule.
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Antibiotic stewardship: What can the pork industry learn from human medicine?
With so much attention being placed on antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance, animal agriculture can sometimes feel as if it’s the only target. However, human medicine also is getting an...
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How close are we to having a Strep suis vaccine for pigs?
Although antibiotics provide a treatment option for Streptococcus suis — a common, widespread bacterium in swine — long-term management hinges on an effective vaccine.
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More planning required for feed medications in new VFD era
Planning, paperwork and prevention are the priorities on hog farms in response to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) expanded veterinary feed directive (VFD), which came onto the scene in...
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Production specialists urged to share insights on no-antibiotics programs, animal welfare
Antibiotics are important for maintaining animal health, but their use has come under scrutiny in recent years due to the rise of antibiotic resistance globally.
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Antibiotic-free production: What lessons can pork learn from poultry?
A rapid increase in the use of vaccines for respiratory and enteric diseases in swine over the past year will ultimately allow a reduction in antibiotic use, predicted Joe Connor, DVM, swine...
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In-feed antibiotics best addressed on a case-by-case basis
Adjusting to changes in how and when to use in-feed antibiotics is an ongoing effort. While those products are still available under veterinarian supervision for prevention and treatment of a...
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Balancing good and bad bacteria key to effective gut health, nutrient absorption
Developing techniques and tools to encourage the growth of good bacteria in the gut is key to producing healthier pigs that require fewer antibiotics over the long term, according to swine...
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Practicing precision animal health
Ross Kiehne, DVM, practices what he calls “precision animal health.” “I’m only going to provide the vaccine or antibiotic that’s right for the pig at that time in its life to make it as...
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USDA, industry groups take issue with WHO’s latest statement on poultry, livestock antibiotics
The USDA’s chief scientist and several scientific and industry organizations took issue with the World Health Organization’s recent news release recommending that poultry and livestock...
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How 50 swine vets plan to manage seasonal respiratory disease in the new VFD era
For as long as any pork producer can remember, fall’s arrival traditionally was a signal to add a respiratory antibiotic to the grower-finisher rations or, at the very least, pulse feed a...
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‘Race to zero’ not the answer in antibiotics debate
Regulations around the use of antibiotics in feed should not encourage a race to “no antibiotics ever” production systems that could compromise pig welfare, according to a pork-industry...
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So far, so good: Pork producers adjusting well to new VFD rules
Implementation of the new veterinary feed directive (VFD) in swine has gone smoothly in the field, according to Chris Rademacher, DVM, Iowa State University Extension.
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Pork industry teaming with NAHMS, FDA to score antibiotic use
National Pork Board’s David Pyburn, DVM, talked with Pig Health Today about two initiatives under way to help regulators grade the pork industry’s commitment to responsible antibiotic usage.
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New VFD rules affecting disease management for swine
The updated VFD rules that took effect in January 2017 haven’t required a big adjustment for the swine industry, but they have furthered the trend toward reduced antibiotic use — and the result...
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Act now to find alternatives to antibiotics, producers told
US hog farmers should take a hard look at their production practices if they are to maintain herd health and manage illness in the face of tougher antibiotics rules, a veterinarian urges.
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Technology, veterinary care helping to improve pig health, production on Illinois swine farm
Ness farm pigs get dessert before dinner. The Ness’ production system uses a liquid byproduct from an ice cream manufacturer to supply fat and energy to their pigs’ diet.
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