Standardization and evaluation of indicators for quantifying antimicrobial use on U.S. dairy farms

Assessing trends in ectoparasiticidal drugs used to control ticks and flies in farm animals: A four-year analysis reveal differences between epidemiological zones at country level in Uruguay

The use of ectoparasiticides is a major concern in the control of parasites. In this study, we examined the trends and patterns of veterinary medicines use comparing between a high-risk epidemiological zone (HRZ) and a low-risk epidemiological zone (LRZ) for ectoparasites over a four-year period (2017-2020) at country level data. The objective of this study was to analyze the patterns of ectoparasiticide use in Uruguayan cattle, using the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System for Veterinary Drugs (ATCvet) and dose indicators to consider regional variations in the animal population and production intensity. A total of 222 registered products classified as acaricides and/or insecticides based on 21 different active ingredients were grouped into 8 ATCvet level 4 categories. The annual consumption of active ingredients in ectoparasiticides averaged 40.6 tons. The total volume in the HRZ was 693 % higher than in the LRZ. The most sold ATCvet groups were Amidines (55.9 %), Pyrethrins/Pyrethroids (20.7 %), and Organophosphate Compounds (7 %). We calculated four different indicators with the resulting median values for entire country: 89.3 Technical Units per 1000 kg (IQR range of 10.5), 0.15 mg/kg of dosing biomass, 45.7 mg/ha of dose grazing area, and 3.09e+ 10 mg/LU/ha, respectively. Amidines were the most used group in the HRZ across all indicators, while Carbamates and Pyrethrins/Pyrethroids dominated in the LRZ. Cypermethrin, Amitraz, and Ethion were predominant in the HRZ, while Cypermethrin, Carbaryl, and Diazinon were common in the LRZ. The analysis of the four mixed Generalized Linear Models revealed significant differences in the use of veterinary medicines between zones with varying levels of epidemiological risk for parasitic diseases, with certain categories showing consistent patterns between indicators and zones. These results highlight the complexity of a veterinary medicine usage and the need for specialized strategies in veterinary medicine to address regional differences in the use of parasitic agents.

Quantification of Antimicrobial Use on Commercial Broiler Farms in Pakistan

Pakistan has a large, intensive broiler production industry, where antimicrobials are extensively used for both therapeutic and prophylactic purposes. Monitoring antimicrobial use (AMU) at the farm level is crucial to guide interventions for antimicrobial stewardship. The objective of this study was to comprehensively quantify AMU on commercial broiler farms in Pakistan using different metrics. Data on on-farm AMU (both therapeutic and prophylactic) were collected from intensive commercial broiler farms in Punjab, Pakistan. AMU was quantified using four different metrics: treatment incidence (TI) based on defined daily dose (TIDDDvetPK), TI based on defined course dose (TIDCDvetPK), TI based on used daily dose (TIUDDvetPK), and mg/kg biomass. The median TIDDDvetPK, TIDCDvetPK, TIUDDvetPK, and mg/kg biomass values were 57.7 (7.5-257.9), 13.3 (1.8-52.5), 75.3 (21.1-182.9), and 301 (46.8-1009.6), respectively, based on 741 group treatments given at 100 participating farms with 225 flocks. About 34% treatments were administered for therapeutic purposes, with 66% administered as prophylaxis. A total of 41 active substances, distributed across 17 antimicrobial classes, were identified from 139 commercial antimicrobial products used. The most commonly used active substances (AS), out of total 741 group treatments, were colistin (polymyxins) at 17%, enrofloxacin (quinolones) at 8%, neomycin (aminoglycosides) and amoxicillin (aminopenicillins) at 7% each, and procaine penicillin (NS penicillins) and streptomycin (aminoglycosides) at 6% each. According to the WHO categorization, 57% of the used AS were found to be critically important antimicrobials (CIAs) for human medicine. As many as 30% of treatments were administered in the first week (13% on the first day of production), and the main indication was prophylaxis for early chick mortality, followed by 21% in week 5, with main indication being feed supplements for necrotic enteritis. The average weight at slaughtering was 2.25 kg, gained after an average of 44 days of the production cycle. The alarmingly high AMU in Pakistani broiler production emphasizes the urgent need to reduce AMU, particularly involving CIAs and the prophylactic use of antimicrobials. This can be achieved by improving farm management practices and strengthening regulatory oversight to enable prudent antimicrobial use, eventually reducing the risk of AMR.