Around ten years ago, we started becoming very aware of the risks of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) to the global population.
If you recall, there was a lot of noise around the risks of AMR, which could lead to antibiotics potentially not working for routine diseases, as the bugs would become increasingly resistant to the drugs. Things we take for granted – such as routine surgery to replace hips or knees, fix hernias or remove appendices – could become far more dangerous if bugs become resistant.
This impacted our vet and farming world because around 80% of all antibiotics used globally are used in animals. And so, there was increasing pressure to regulate or curtail access by farmers to antibiotics. Of course, New Zealand is a very low user (currently still the third lowest user in the world), but the risk to farmers and us vets of potentially severe regulation was very real.
The New Zealand Veterinary Association responded by launching an aggressive plan to reduce antibiotic use (AMU) to almost zero by 2030. Behind that was the intent to demonstrate that our clients could farm well without leaning on antibiotics – and, more importantly, without needing regulation to reduce their use.
We have demonstrated this amazingly well. Since 2015, New Zealand has halved antibiotic use across all animals. While other countries have made significant steps too, this has meant we have maintained our third lowest position.
Our local farms have led some of this change. We have very accurate data from our VetSouth dairy clients and in the past ten years the use of ‘red light’ antibiotics has reduced by 94%. They now make up only 0.6% of all AMU compared to 11% a decade ago. Overall, our AMU has decreased by 9% in the same period. So, it’s a good step forward, but there is still some work we can do.
Alas, our AMU was higher again in the 2024-2025 dairy season, mainly due to unusual outbreaks of Salmonella. It’s a good reminder that prevention is always better than a cure, and that vaccination against the various diseases that can happen on-farm is a great option.
As we continue to reduce AMU, having comprehensive prevention and vaccination strategies becomes more and more critical.
