This completes another important and valuable phase in the livestock industry’s antibiotic stewardship journey, as it gears up to launch the third cycle of targets next week (TTF3).
The newly released TTF2 report charts another positive year of antibiotic stewardship across UK livestock sectors, with some recording their lowest use to date while others have recorded upticks in use in response to disease outbreaks – demonstrating the importance of maintaining access to antibiotics when it is appropriate to do so.
The RUMA TTF Report was released alongside the Veterinary Medicines Directorate’s Veterinary Antimicrobial Resistance and Sales Surveillance (VARSS) Report.
The UK maintains its position as one of the lowest users of antibiotics across Europe, according to the most publicly available data and has also succeeded in achieving some of the biggest reductions in AMR across Europe in the last decade.
RUMA is also pleased to see that data published earlier this year from the Animal Plant and Health Agency (APHA) and VMD reveals a strong link between reduced antibiotic use and reduced antimicrobial resistance in UK animals.
RUMA Agriculture, chair, Cat McLaughlin, said: “The continued effort and commitment from across UK livestock sectors remains clear to see in both the VARSS and the RUMA Agriculture Targets Task Force reports which have been released today.
“While reductions in use have been significant over the past decade, as expected, we are starting to see reduction levels stabilising for many sectors as practices encouraging good stewardship become ever more mainstream.
“It is also vital that sectors have the ability to use antibiotics when it is appropriate to do so – right time, right place, right situation, in response to disease outbreaks; this is reflected in the latest usage trends across the sectors, with some recording upticks in use in response to disease outbreaks and others recording their lowest use to date.”
Ms McLaughlin continued: “In recent years the industry has weathered, and continues to weather many storms, from disease outbreaks such as Avian Influenza and Bluetongue, vaccine shortages, ongoing impacts from Brexit, as well as environmental influences, which can adversely impact medicines use in many sectors.
“But despite the challenges, the commitment to ensuring the responsible use of antibiotics remains as strong as ever.”
Abi Seager, chief executive at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, said: “I want to congratulate RUMA Agriculture on publishing the Targets Taskforce 2 Report today, marking the successful conclusion of their second cycle of antibiotic targets.
“We are pleased to see the progress achieved across many sectors over this period, as highlighted in the recently published UK-VARSS report. VMD welcomes the forthcoming third set of targets, which reflect the sectors’ long-standing commitment to tackle AMR and continuing their journey of responsible antibiotic stewardship, since the establishment of the RUMA Targets Task Force in 2016.
“We look forward to the ongoing collaboration between industry and government to improve animal health and antibiotic stewardship.”
Ms McLaughlin continued: “The overall feedback featured in the TTF report is encouraging and I applaud the efforts of everyone involved. The UK livestock industry has some of the highest health and welfare standards in farming globally, and our antibiotic stewardship work has been recognised internationally.
“Shortly after this report is launched, the RUMA TTF3 targets will be published outlining the next five years of sector targets and commitments. We must continue to innovate and apply the learnings so far, to ensure we protect the efficacy of antibiotics long into the future.”
As well as its role in tackling AMR, there are many other key factors as to why livestock and aquaculture sectors need to be able to effectively demonstrate responsible antibiotic use, including for trade purposes, consumer confidence, and to continue to demonstrate the UK’s high health and welfare standards in farming.
Ms McLaughlin added: “All of these are essential factors in making sure that UK farming is viewed positively, as leading the way, and is recognised as a principal contributor to antibiotic stewardship and driving force in the battle against AMR. The industry has an important job ahead.
“There are insights and lessons to be taken and applied from the first and second cycles of the RUMA Targets Task Force, and there remains a need to refine the way forward into the third cycle of RUMA Targets to focus efforts on measuring what matters, and activating new or refining existing stewardship programmes, in order to build on the culture of responsible antibiotic use already developed.”
RUMA Agriculture will be releasing the third cycle of targets (TTF3) at a webinar on November 26, which will further build on the lessons and successes from the work of the RUMA TTF since it was first established back in 2016.
