A survey of retail prices of antimicrobial products used in small-scale chicken farms in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam

Abstract

Background: In the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, high quantities of products containing antimicrobial are used as prophylactic and curative treatments in small-scale chicken flocks. A large number of these contain antimicrobial active ingredients (AAIs) considered of 'critical importance' for human medicine according to the World Health Organization (WHO). However, little is known about the retail prices of these products and variables associated with the expense on antimicrobials at farm level. Therefore, the aims of the study were: (1) to investigate the retail price of antimicrobials with regards to WHO importance criteria; and (2) to quantify the antimicrobial expense incurred in raising chicken flocks. We investigated 102 randomly-selected small-scale farms raising meat chickens (100-2000 per flock cycle) in two districts in Dong Thap (Mekong Delta) over 203 flock production cycles raised in these farms. Farmers were asked to record the retail prices and amounts of antimicrobial used. Results: A total of 214 different antimicrobial-containing products were identified. These contained 37 different AAIs belonging to 13 classes. Over half (60.3%) products contained 1 highest priority, critically important AAI, and 38.8% 1 high priority, critically important AAI. The average (farm-adjusted) retail price of a daily dose administered to a 1 kg bird across products was 0.40 cents of 1 US$ (₵) (SE ± 0.05). The most expensive products were those that included at least one high priority, critically important AAI, as well as those purchased in one of the two study districts. Farmers spent on average of ₵3.91 (SE ± 0.01) on antimicrobials per bird over the production cycle. The expense on antimicrobials in weeks with disease and low mortality was greater than on weeks with disease and high mortality, suggesting that antimicrobial use had a beneficial impact on disease outcomes (χ 2 = 3.8; p = 0.052). Farmers generally used more expensive antimicrobials on older flocks. Conclusions and recommendation: The retail prices of antimicrobial products used in chicken production in Mekong Delta small-scale chicken farms are very low, and not related to their relevance for human medicine. Farmers, however, demonstrated a degree of sensitivity to prices of antimicrobial products. Therefore, revising pricing policies of antimicrobial products remains a potential option to curb the use of antimicrobials of critical importance in animal production.

Reducing Antimicrobial Usage in Small-Scale Chicken Farms in Vietnam: A 3-Year Intervention Study

“…This situation is aggravated by a general lack of awareness about antimicrobials and the negative consequences of AMR among farmers ( 16 ). In addition, the ease of access to antimicrobials over-the-counter in veterinary drug shops ( 17 ) and their affordability ( 18 ) are factors that contribute to excessive AMU in Vietnam.…”

Small-scale commercial chicken production: A risky business for farmers in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam

“…This is reflective of the generally low price of antimicrobials available to Mekong Delta farmers. For example, a daily dose of an average antimicrobial-containing product (per LJkg of chicken) has been estimated to retail at ∼0.40 cents of 1 US$, depending on product (Carrique-Mas et al, 2019a; Dung et al, 2020). Our findings are not dissimilar to costs of antimicrobials intended for small-scale pig farms in Vietnam (<2% total costs) (Coyne et al, 2020a).…”

“…Chicken farmers often use antimicrobials with the aim of preventing disease, especially during the brooding period, since antimicrobials are viewed as a cheaper alternative than other disease control measures (Truong et al, 2019). Antimicrobials are typically sold over the counter and prices are generally very low (estimated in ∼0.40 cents of 1 USD per daily dose administered to a 1kg chicken) (Dung et al, 2020).…”

“It's a habit. They've been doing it for decades and they feel good and safe.”: A qualitative study of barriers and opportunities to changing antimicrobial use in the Indonesian poultry sector

“…Farmers tended to respond to nancial pressure by reducing expenditure on inputs, notably antibiotics. The nding that farmers in this study reduced antibiotic purchases for reasons of cost was unexpected, as past research has indicated that medicines comprise only a small proportion of farm input costs in Southeast Asia, and are unlikely to in uence AMU decisions 35,36 . However, in the broader context of rising input costs across Indonesia, it appeared that antibiotics were one of the only inputs farmers could reduce, suggesting that the importance of antibiotic cost is contextually dependent.…”