V.MFS.0002 - Antimicrobial usage – development of data collection and metrics for beef

Summary

Antimicrobial usage (AMU) is an important aspect of the international campaign to minimise and control antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in human and domestic animal pathogens. This project will build on previous experience of measuring AMU (MyFarmAMU), and aims to capture representative antimicrobial usage (AMU) data from four beef raising systems (veal, dairy, grass, grain) and express the data using metrics that will be useful for management and customer audiences.

Objectives

1. To define suitable metrics to report beef AMU to both internal (beef supply chain) and external (customer) audiences.
2. To identify and capture AMU data representative of four beef raising systems (feedlot, extensive, dairy and veal).
3. To analyse the available data to estimate AMU in the Australian beef supply chain, collectively and for the four production systems.
4. To report on the gaps in the system(s) developed to estimate beef AMU and provide recommendations on improving them for future use.

Key findings

The project developed a top-down approach to estimating AMU based on product ‘disposals’ and population data collected by the Australian Government as per the following steps:

• The quantities of antimicrobial actives from products registered and approved for use in a single ‘host’ species are allocated for use in that species.

• The quantities of antimicrobial actives from products registered for multiple species are allocated based on the estimated proportion used in each host species. An Expert Panel determines the proportions allocated to each species, based on a mix of empirical (survey) data and industry expert knowledge.

• The above process provides the total quantity in weight (kgs) of each antimicrobial active supplied annually to animals, with these quantities split between the major food animal species (pigs, poultry, beef and dairy cattle, sheep/goats and aquaculture) and non-food animals (horses, dogs and cats).

• The annual animal biomass (kgs liveweight) of each food animal species/sector is estimated from data sourced from the Australian Government (Australian Bureau of Statistics and/or Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics) with input from experts familiar with livestock production systems.

• Estimates of annual AMU are expressed as a rate – milligrams of antimicrobial active used per kg liveweight for the year (mg/kg) – so trends in supply can be compared over time.

Benefits to industry

This project sets the Australian beef industry on a path towards generating credible and robust AMU estimates which it can use for both internal and external audiences. It also provides the beef industry with a central role in the design and implementation of the national veterinary AMU measurement system.

MLA action

MLA will work with the red meat industry Peak Industry Councils to determine next steps in relation to the national veterinary AMU system that has been developed and proposed as part of this project.

Future research

The beef industry needs to consider the Business Case and Methodology and decide on whether to progress with the implementation of the national veterinary AMU measurement system. Other livestock industries and DAFF also need to determine whether they want to participate.

Longer term, the beef industry should consider whether developing a bottom-up AMU measurement system, based on data collected from vets and producers, will be required to meet government and customer requirements.