Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses an increasing threat for global health and food security. Scientific evidence demonstrates that antimicrobial usage in animals has potential to contribute to the emergence of AMR; as a consequence, many international and national regulations and guidelines have been issued with the aim to reduce antimicrobial usage on farm. Recently, a new
European regulation that bans preventive use of antibiotic (i.e., blanket dry cow therapy) has been accepted and will be applied in 2022. In addition, Red Tractor will publish new scheme standards concerning medicine use in November 2021.
Therefore, further understanding of how antimicrobials are used in livestock production, as well as stakeholder beliefs relating to their use is essential.
The University of Glasgow -School of Veterinary medicine and Lidl are carrying out a research project about antimicrobial use and resistance in Scottish dairy farms. The aims of the study are to investigate farmers’ awareness of AMR, to identify the factors influencing dairy farmer decisions about AM use as well as the barriers and motivators to uptake of best practice recommendations.
To date, this is the first study investigating farmers’ beliefs and how antimicrobials are used specifically on Scottish dairy farms.
Dairy farmers play a critical role in ensuring animal health and product safety and their contribution to this debate is essential. However, they may feel constrained by regulatory and economic challenges when looking to implement farm management strategies that reduce AM use; do they need more support from the industry and their advisors?
Answering this survey is an opportunity share your valuable expertise and inform future policy.
The link can be found here: https://glasgow-research.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/amr
All the responses collected through this survey will be anonymous. A prize draw will be held, and four participants will win a £25 Lidl voucher.
