The use of antibiotics in livestock farming should be regulated more strictly. Austria will receive a new veterinary medicinal product law for this, which has been revised since Wednesday. Now, for the first time, a threshold value for the use of antibiotics has been introduced.
The Ministry of Health informed about this in a broadcast on Thursday. In 2021, 39 tonnes of antibiotics were used in livestock farming in Austria. Although the numbers are decreasing, the stakes are still considered too high. More and more pathogens are developing resistance and are no longer killed by antibiotics. As a result, infections that were previously easy to treat can become life-threatening.
“The careful use of antibiotics is more important than ever to protect humans and animals against drug-resistant germs and to maintain the effectiveness of these hugely important therapies,” said Minister of Health and Animal Welfare Johannes Rauch (Greens). The new Veterinary Medicines Act sets threshold values for the use of antibiotics in companies. If this is exceeded, additional requirements must be met. If this does not happen, the number of animals on the farm should be reduced.
In principle, antibiotics may only be used in case of illness, according to the Ministry of Health. In the future, a pathogen detection and antibiogram should be performed prior to surgery. An antibiogram is a laboratory test that clarifies the susceptibility of microbial pathogens to antibiotics. In this way it can be determined in advance whether therapy with medicines is successful or not. Exceptions to this rule should be made in case of an acute need.
decision in the fall
However, to prevent diseases, the use of medicines in livestock farming is prohibited. This can be the case, for example, when the farms want to increase their yield or have too many animals.
Representatives from agriculture and veterinary medicine worked on the bill. The review will continue until August and the new law should be passed in the fall.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
