Part of the problem lies in the human medical community and patient responses to antibiotic therapy. Liberal prescriptions by medical doctors or irresponsible usage by patients, such as ending their dosage intake early because of improving physical symptoms, can increase bacterial resistance. In animal husbandry, indiscriminate use of antibiotics “prophylactically” (anticipating disease when it yet does not exist in the population) or the use of animal growth promoting (AGP) antibiotics to increase growth performance are both examples of unnecessary dependencies that can increase resistance. The link between antimicrobial use in animals and antimicrobial resistance in human is about 10% These can be addressed in the industry by using feed additives that promote gut health and a holistic adoption of best practices in production protocols as well as optimising nutrition.
6.2 Reducing the risk of anti-microbial resistance
Not often do target crosshairs line up so clearly as they do on the risks posed by anti- microbial resistance (AMR). Due to poor antibiotic use management, the UN World Health Organisation (WHO) now predicts that by the year 2050, 10 million people a year may die of disease resistant to antibiotics. Additionally, 80% of antibiotic usage today is used in the animal husbandry sector. It is estimated that up to 10% of resistance is generated by zoonosis (transfer from animals to humans). The unaddressed combination of the two is a setup for disaster.
The question is, how can a future simple bacterial infection create so much havoc? If antibiotic abuse, in both the human population as well as the animal husbandry industry continues unaddressed, it will be a relatively easy jump to future resistance to a specific antibiotic solution. The COVID-19 pandemic situation has served as a reminder of the dangers of pushing beyond the planetary boundaries that we must function within.
Nutreco fully agrees that if and when an animal or animal population gets sick, it has an inherent animal welfare right to receive medicinal therapy with veterinarian supervision, in the same way that we humans demand medicines when we get sick. Nutreco’s strategy focuses on preventing diseases, optimising nutrition and thus decreasing the need for antibiotics/medical therapy.
Nutreco has adopted a strategy in RoadMap 2025 to address this human and animal population health challenge. This AMR strategy will significantly curtaildependency on antibiotics in the animal husbandry sector. We have also committed to work alongside our clients to assist them and support their antibiotic reduction policies. We’ll do this by assisting in best- practice protocols as a service as well as offering a spectrum of feed additive solutions to reduce dependency and unnecessary use of antibiotics.
The technology exists in the majority of situations. In Europe, there’s the example of the Netherlands, which when encouraged to adopt better practices by governmental regulations in antibiotic usage in animal husbandry, was successful in reducing over 70% usage in the decade between 2009 and 2019. We can also look to our own Sada operations. Sada is the third-largest poultry producer in Spain and 90% of its production was never “touched” by an antibiotic.
The challenge facing us and others is how can a company that recognises the need to do the “right thing” with regards to AMR actually do so when the short-term gains of usage to cover poor production practices are so customary. Additionally, how does a salesman say, “sorry, we no longer sell medicinal premixes unless the animal population is demonstrably sick”. What happens to the general manager when that client not only takes their medicated premix or feed order to the competition, but takes the rest of the business too? It’s a hard sell when the EBITDA reduction for a global company is in the millions.
Nevertheless, these are the tough decisions that we – as a company – find ourselves facing.
Because we choose to be on the right side of this societal debate, we need to work with our clients, and the rest of industry, to offer long-term solutions to our animal farmers. We believe that in such a way, when we look back in five years’ time, we will be able to reflect on an industry that has successfully transitioned – transparently and confidently – to eliminate this enormous human health risk.