Antibiotic use in farm animals continues to be a growing concern for public health. According to a report by Forbes, the use of antibiotics in livestock has been on the rise, with experts warning that it could pose a risk to human health. This has been confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO), which has been advocating for the reduction of antibiotic use in healthy animals.
The increased use of antibiotics in farm animals is due to the growing demand for meat. This has led to an increase in the number of farms, which in turn has resulted in crowded and unsanitary conditions. To prevent disease outbreaks, farmers have resorted to using antibiotics as a prophylactic measure, leading to the overuse of antibiotics.
The overuse of antibiotics in livestock is a cause for concern as it contributes to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. These bacteria can easily spread from animals to humans, making it difficult to treat infections with antibiotics. The use of antibiotics in large meat operations is contributing to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.
Despite efforts by the FDA to reduce the use of antibiotics in farm animals, the problem persists. In 2017, the WHO called for a stop to the use of antibiotics in healthy animals in a bid to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance. However, this call has fallen on deaf ears, with farmers still relying on antibiotics to keep their animals healthy.
The use of antibiotics in farm animals has also been a major concern for environmental health. According to the Save Our Antibiotics campaign, the overuse of antibiotics in livestock farming is having a significant impact on the environment, including the contamination of water and soil with antibiotic residues.