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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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