title: Antimicrobial use in Belgian broiler production.
abstract: The use of antimicrobials in production animals has become a worldwide concern in the face of rising resistance levels in commensal, pathogenic and zoonotic bacteria. In the years 2007 and 2008 antimicrobial consumption records were collected during two non consecutive production cycles in 32 randomly selected Belgian broiler farms. Antimicrobials were used in 48 of the 64 monitored production cycles, 7 farms did not use any antimicrobials in both production cycles, 2 farms only administered antimicrobials in one of the two production cycles, the other 23 farms applied antimicrobial treatment in both production cycles. For the quantification of antimicrobial drug use, the treatment incidences (TI) based on the defined daily doses (the dose as it should be applied: DDD) and used daily doses (the actual dose applied: UDD) were calculated. A mean antimicrobial treatment incidence per 1000 animals of 131.8 (standard deviation 126.8) animals treated daily with one DDD and 121.4 (SD 106.7) animals treated daily with one UDD was found. The most frequently used compounds were amoxicillin, tylosin and trimethoprim-sulphonamide with a mean TI(UDD) of 37.9, 34.8, and 21.7, respectively. The ratio of the UDD/DDD gives an estimate on correctness of dosing. Tylosin was underdosed in most of the administrations whereas amoxicillin and trimethoprim-sulphonamide were slightly overdosed in the average flock.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Reproduction and Herd Health, Veterinary Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. davy.persoons@ugent.be
authors.forename: Davy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Persoons
authors.forename: Jeroen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dewulf
authors.forename: Annemieke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Smet
authors.forename: Lieve
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Herman
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heyndrickx
authors.forename: An
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martel
authors.forename: Boudewijn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Catry
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Butaye
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Haesebrouck
mesh_terms: D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001530:Belgium; D002645:Chickens; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014295:Trimethoprim / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015645:Tylosin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; C000301:trimethoprim, sulfadoxine drug combination; D000658:Amoxicillin; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D014295:Trimethoprim; D015645:Tylosin