EXTENSION EDUCATION SYMPOSIUM: The future of biosecurity and antimicrobial use in livestock production in the United States and the role of extension1

Abstract

As the global population continues to grow, food needs will increase as well. The amount of land and other resources devoted to agriculture production is not expected to grow significantly, leading most to agree that the substantial increases in food production to meet food security needs will come through the development of technologies that improve production efficiency. Diseases are constant threats to efficiency in all segments of agriculture. In livestock production, many of the bacterial pathogens that infect food animals are controlled through the use of antimicrobials. Antimicrobials are currently used in the United States not only to treat specific diseases, but also as feed additives to prevent bacterial disease in general or to improve growth performance. In recent years, there have been several proposals in the United States, both at state and federal levels, aimed at curtailing or dramatically reducing the use antimicrobials as feed additives, creating a policy similar to that of the European Union. Here we review the current policies on antimicrobial use in the European Union and their impact on food animal production. In addition, we discuss the future of antimicrobial use in food animal production in the United States and the increasing role of biosecurity programs. Finally, we discuss the role of Cooperative Extension Service in creating improved biosecurity programs and extension programs that provide policy makers and voters information on modern food animal production practices and technologies so that policies and regulations are effective and appropriate.

Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus protein A (spa) mutants in the community and hospitals in Oxfordshire

“…One possible explanation is that this might be a part of S. aureus strain adaptation to a different immune background where protein A plays a major role [7,8,12]. Another explanation might be that the livestock associated strains have more rearrangements in the spa -gene prior the transmission to humans due to high level of antibiotic exposure in food-animal production [46-48]. Nevertheless, our findings highlight the potential for these strains to have been substantially under-represented in epidemiological studies to date, and for strains formerly not-typeable using standard methods to be a source of bias.…”

Influence of Ionophore Supplementation on Growth Performance, Dietary Energetics and Carcass Characteristics in Finishing Cattle during Period of Heat Stress

“…Before starting with the discussion of the results, it is important to mention that the use of antimicrobials as feed additives in food animal production remains very controversial, and the practice is banned in many countries, including those in the European Union (Clark et al, 2011). The major concerns relate to the potential for selecting for antimicrobial resistance factors and the subsequent transfer of these from food-producing animals to food, and therefore to the consuming public (Fajt, 2007).…”

Consumption of antibacterial molecules in broiler production in Morocco

“…They have to educate broiler producers that antimicrobials are only used in case of extreme necessity and have to restrain themselves from over-using prophylactic treatments (Aidara-Kane 2012). They should also put more emphasis on the application of biosecurity measures and good practice in hygiene and rearing management (Clark et al 2012).…”