Swiss study predicts rise in global antibiotic use in farming

Use of antibiotics in livestock farming increases significantly according to study Keystone-SDA

The global use of antibiotics in livestock farming could rise by nearly 30% by 2040, according to a new study from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the University of Zurich (UZH). However, Switzerland is expected to see little to no increase.

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Researchers warn that the global rise in antibiotic use could worsen the issue of antibiotic resistance. “Resistant bacteria are also a significant problem for agriculture,” said Thomas Van Boeckel, a study co-author from UZH, in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency.

If current trends continue unchecked, global antibiotic use could reach 143,000 tonnes annually by 2040, according to a study published in Nature Communications on Tuesday. In Europe, researchers predict a slight increase of 0.6% by 2040.

However, the study also highlights that certain measures could potentially cut antibiotic use in livestock farming by up to 57% in the most optimistic scenario.

Translated from German with DeepL/sp

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