Beef Cattle

Snapshot

• Work in the cattle and sheep sectors is ongoing to explore what a similar industry tool to the electronic-Medicine Book for pigs could look like for their respective industries. Following an initial pilot project with cattle in 2018, a second phase of work for what is being called an ‘e-Medicines Hub (eMH)’ was commissioned, this time for both cattle and sheep data. The aim is to capture: national sector level reporting of antibiotic use in line with ESVAC methodology; farm level data for identification of trends in how antibiotics are being used and to facilitate benchmarking within and between farms.  Work will continue on this through 2020.
• In the meantime, the beef sector set a target of a 10% reduction or reaching 10 mg/kg by 2020, whichever is lower, in the 2016 Targets Task Force report. The sector will also aim to halve use of the highest priority Critically Important Antibiotics (HP-CIAs) by 2020.
• An update on progress against specific targets was published in November 2019, including a summary for beef and dairy cattle.
• 2018 usage data from a small sample of cattle comprising 5.5% of the national beef herd has been reported as 21 mg/kg.
• Use of injectable HP-CIAs for beef and dairy cattle has fallen 46% since 2016, and is now at 0.502 mg/kg.
• The sector has also identified that monitoring uptake of preventative measures, such as vaccinations for respiratory disease, could provide a useful indicator of potential antibiotic reduction. An updated vaccination report from AHDB shows that vaccination levels in cattle are rising with almost 10 million doses of vaccine were sold for use in cattle in 2018.
• Following an extensive consultation, recommendations for measuring and comparing the use of antibiotics on beef farms were published in February 2020 on the Cattle Health and Welfare Group (CHAWG) website.
• For more detail on the beef sector targets, please refer to the Targets Task Force Report.
• For case studies, inspiration and technical tools to help farmers and vets reduce, replace or refine antibiotic use, visit the Ideas Hub.

News Updates

Recommendations for measuring and comparing the use of antibiotics on beef farms published

17 Feb 2020

Beef sector launches consultation on best metrics to use to measure antibiotic use

26 Jul 2019

New report shows progress towards achieving farm antibiotic targets

18 Nov 2018

Use of vaccines in cattle increases as antibiotics fall – new AHDB report

18 Nov 2018

RUMA confirms position on ‘antibiotic-free’ labelling

08 Oct 2018

Campaign aims to remind prescribers and farmers that #VaccinesWork

11 Sep 2018

RUMA publishes position on feeding waste milk to calves

01 Aug 2018

Interim report gives picture of progress towards farming’s antibiotic targets

27 Jul 2018

UK farming triple winner at Public Health England’s Antibiotic Guardian awards

28 Jun 2018

Livestock farmers urged to use correct injection sites

13 Jun 2018

Food report from pressure groups misleads on antibiotics

19 Apr 2018

#ColostrumIsGold campaign aims to slash antibiotic use

29 Jan 2018

Industry task force announces new sector-specific targets

27 Oct 2017

Record low for sales of antibiotics for use in animals

27 Oct 2017

New Red Tractor antibiotic rules outlined

28 Jul 2017

RUMA response to new Soil Association campaign

07 Mar 2017

British cattle vets recommend voluntary clampdown on antibiotic use

24 Jan 2017

Million-pound investment to benefit beef industry efficiency

09 Nov 2016

Initiatives

Beef sector launches consultation on best metrics to use to measure antibiotic use

Jul 2019

Use of vaccines in cattle increases as antibiotics fall – new AHDB report

Nov 2018

Campaign aims to remind prescribers and farmers that #VaccinesWork

Sep 2018

#ColostrumIsGold campaign aims to slash antibiotic use

Jan 2018

British Cattle Vets position statement on use on antibiotics in dairy & beef sectors – BCVA

Aug 2017

AMR Force project from University of Bristol

Jul 2017

Useful Organisations