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Evaluation of metrics for benchmarking antimicrobial use in the UK dairy industry
Author(s) -
Mills Harriet L,
Turner Andrea,
Morgans Lisa,
Massey Jonathan,
Schubert Hannah,
Rees Gwen,
Barrett David,
Dowsey Andrew,
Reyher Kristen K
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
veterinary record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.261
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2042-7670
pISSN - 0042-4900
DOI - 10.1136/vr.104701
Subject(s) - benchmarking , livestock , metric (unit) , government (linguistics) , order (exchange) , dairy industry , business , dairy cattle , work (physics) , antimicrobial , animal health , selection (genetic algorithm) , computer science , microbiology and biotechnology , veterinary medicine , medicine , marketing , engineering , geography , biology , zoology , mechanical engineering , linguistics , philosophy , finance , forestry , artificial intelligence , food science
The issue of antimicrobial resistance is of global concern across human and animal health. In 2016, the UK government committed to new targets for reducing antimicrobial use (AMU) in livestock. Although a number of metrics for quantifying AMU are defined in the literature, all give slightly different interpretations. This paper evaluates a selection of metrics for AMU in the dairy industry: total mg, total mg/kg, daily dose and daily course metrics. Although the focus is on their application to the dairy industry, the metrics and issues discussed are relevant across livestock sectors. In order to be used widely, a metric should be understandable and relevant to the veterinarians and farmers who are prescribing and using antimicrobials. This means that clear methods, assumptions (and possible biases), standardised values and exceptions should be published for all metrics. Particularly relevant are assumptions around the number and weight of cattle at risk of treatment and definitions of dose rates and course lengths; incorrect assumptions can mean metrics over‐represent or under‐represent AMU. The authors recommend that the UK dairy industry work towards the UK‐specific metrics using the UK‐specific medicine dose and course regimens as well as cattle weights in order to monitor trends nationally.