The Use of Antimicrobials in Italian Heavy Pig Fattening Farms

• Main Authors: Federico Scali (Author), Giovanni Santucci (Author), Antonio M. Maisano (Author), Francesca Giudici (Author), Federica Guadagno (Author), Matteo Tonni (Author), Alberto Amicabile (Author), Nicoletta Formenti (Author), Enrico Giacomini (Author), Massimiliano Lazzaro (Author), Giorgio Bontempi (Author), Nicoletta Vitale (Author), Lis Alban (Author), Jeroen Dewulf (Author), Adriana Ianieri (Author), Sergio Ghidini (Author), Giancarlo Belluzzi (Author), Loredana Candela (Author), Angelica Maggio (Author), Paolo Pasquali (Author), Silvio Borrello (Author), Giovanni L. Alborali (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2020-12-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Data on antimicrobial use (AMU) in heavy pig production (>150 kg) are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the AMU in this production. Data from 2015 were collected for 143 fattening farms. The AMU was estimated through a treatment index per 100 days (TI₁₀₀) using the defined daily dose animal for Italy (DDDAit). When possible, a comparison with the European Medicines Agency's defined daily doses for animals (DDDvet) was performed. The median TI₁₀₀ was 10.7 (range, 0.2-49.5). Group treatments represented 94.6% of overall consumption. The AMU calculated using DDDAit and DDDvet were strongly correlated (ρ = 0.976; <i>p</i> < 0.001). The AMU was negatively correlated with injectables use (ρ = −0.46, <i>p</i> < 0.001) and positively correlated with oral products (ρ = 0.21, <i>p</i> = 0.014), premixes (ρ = 0.26, <i>p</i> = 0.002), and mortality (ρ = 0.18; <i>p</i> = 0.027). Farm size was negatively correlated with AMU (ρ = −0.29, <i>p</i> < 0.001). Smaller farms were more frequently above the median TI₁₀₀ (odds ratio = 2.3, 95% confidence interval = 1.2-4.7), suggesting that they may have lower biosecurity and management standards. The results of this study should provide useful insights for the development of an Italian monitoring system.

Item Description

10.3390/antibiotics9120892
2079-6382