Declining antibiotic numbers
The amount of antibiotics administered to all livestock farms in the QS scheme continued to decrease in 2020 compared to the previous year. The pig farms were able to make the greatest savings: Compared to the previous year by 9,3 tonnes and compared to 2014, when the entire pig production was recorded for the first time in the QS antibiotic monitoring, even more than 43 percent. In a pilot project in 2020, antibiotics monitoring also recorded the broiler breeders in chickens and turkeys. In this area, the poultry farmers administered 4,13 tons of antibiotics in a total of 230 farms with an average herd size of almost 30.000 animals. Across all animal groups, there will continue to be a downward trend in antibiotic quantities in 2020. Overall, the animal owners in the QS scheme were able to save 2,9 tons of antibiotics compared to the previous year.
Reserve antibiotics remain the exception in the QS scheme
“The current figures from the antibiotics monitoring show again that the veterinarians in the QS scheme only prescribe critical antibiotics in extreme emergencies, when all alternatives in the treatment of sick animals have been exhausted. A constantly low base quantity of 3,78 tonnes for all QS animal-keeping farms can currently only be reduced with difficulty in view of animal welfare and the imperative to treat sick animals, "explains Katrin Spemann, who is responsible for antibiotic monitoring at QS Developments. Reserve antibiotics made up 2020 percent of the total amount of antibiotics administered in the QS scheme in 0,83.
QS therapy index provides a reliable database
The quality and plausibility of the data in the QS antibiotic monitoring is verified using the therapy index of the individual livestock farms. As of February 1, 2021, QS had over 90 percent of all therapy indices from the companies. This means that QS can also regularly check the plausibility of the data. In the QS scheme, the therapy index indicates the average number of treatment units per animal place. This means that it is calculated for each farm and expresses the average number of days each animal was treated with an active ingredient. The therapy index is based on the figures for the last two quarters.
