V.MFS.0442-Enterprise level antimicrobial usage measurement - pilot
It’s now easier for livestock producers to measure and manage usage of antimicrobials to ensure stewardship of this precious resource.
| Project start date: | 03 November 2019 |
| Project end date: | 22 June 2021 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grain-fed Cattle, Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Goat |
| Relevant regions: | National |
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Summary
The rising threat of antimicrobial resistance globally is driving governments and multinational customers to increase their focus on the types and quantities of antimicrobial products being used in agricultural production systems. This project delivers a key dose-based metric (nADD/100 head/yr) for measuring antimicrobial usage (AMU) in Australian red meat enterprises and recommends different weight-based metrics for reporting industry level AMU. This project has also delivered a relatively simple and robust online app (the MyFarmAMU App) that enables producers to generate their AMU results from data held at their farm and a bespoke database of veterinary product registration data (the AVAP data resource) created by the project team. Subject to permissions, data entered into the app by producers can be captured, de-identified, collated and then used to generate a range of industry-level AMU statistics.
Objectives
The objectives of this project were to:
• develop and demonstrate reliable, practical, and meaningful measurement systems for antibiotic use in different kinds of red meat enterprises, being cattle, sheep and goats, in both extensive and intensive raising systems; and
• use the data captured during piloting of the system to compare with industry-level AMU measurements.
Key findings
This project has developed a key dose-based metric, the number of animal daily doses per 100 head per year (nADD/100 head/yr), for measuring AMU in Australian red meat enterprises and recommends different weight-based metrics for reporting industry level AMU.
This project has also delivered a relatively simple and robust online application (the MyFarmAMU App) that enables producers to generate their AMU results and a report for their enterprise. The app can be accessed at www.amuapp.net
The data contained in PubCRIS is not suitable to calculate enterprise level AMU and so a bespoke database of veterinary product registration data (the AVAP data resource) was also created by the project team.
An online App is well suited to capturing AMU data and offers significant advantages compared to other tools, such as paper-based sheets and downloadable programs.
Benefits to industry
The project provides a practical option for capturing enterprise level data antimicrobial usage.
MLA action
MLA will consult and consider how this measurement tool could be employed by producers in Australia, and how the data could be used by producers to demonstrate their antibiotic stewardship and contribute towards a national understanding of antibiotic use.
Future research
In consultation with industry stakeholders, develop an agreed industry plan for monitoring and reporting AMU in the red meat industry. Key issues to address in the plan include:
• the current and future need for red meat industry AMU data;
• the most appropriate metrics to use at both the enterprise and industry level;
• the source/s of data and the methods used to collect it;
• the method/s used to collect and analyse the data; and
• the governance of the plan, data and reporting.
Clear market signals, industry messaging and an improved ‘value proposition’ are needed to get the MyFarmAMU App used more widely by producers.
The data resource created to house information about registered antimicrobial products (the AVAP data resource) should be maintained and made available to facilitate the calculation of AMU by interested parties.
Education and veterinary advice should be provided to producers (and their advisors) to properly interpret enterprise AMU results and use them to drive improvements in antimicrobial stewardship in herds and flocks.
More information
| Project manager: | Ian Jenson |
| Contact email: | reports@mla.com.au |
| Primary researcher: | AgVet Projects Pty Ltd |
