New York State dairy veterinarians’ perceptions of antibiotic use and resistance : A qualitative interview study
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2021
Citazione:
New York State dairy veterinarians’ perceptions of antibiotic use and resistance : A qualitative interview study / H. Padda, M. Wemette, A.G. Safi, W. Beauvais, M.A. Shapiro, P. Moroni, R. Ivanek. - In: PREVENTIVE VETERINARY MEDICINE. - ISSN 0167-5877. - 194(2021), pp. 105428.1-105428.10. [10.1016/j.prevetmed.2021.105428]
Abstract:
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) limits the ability to prevent and treat infection, making AMR one of the foremost
threats to human and animal health. Animal agriculture’s large use of antibiotics in food animals is an important
factor in AMR. As such, policies to reduce antibiotic use and combat AMR in animal agriculture in the United
States (US) have been in place or are developed. One key to the success of these policies in the US is understanding
how a major stakeholder - veterinarians treating dairy cattle - perceive the scale of antibiotic use, the
threat of AMR and the utility of antibiotic use policies. We interviewed 9 dairy veterinarians in New York State
and conducted an iterative thematic analysis of their responses, through which five themes were identified: 1.
veterinarians’ views of the frequency and reasons for antibiotic misuse, 2. their ideas on reducing antibiotic use,
3. perceptions of AMR within the dairy industry, 4. view of organic farming and how it relates to animal welfare,
and 5. the impact of consumers’ beliefs on the dairy industry. Participants viewed antibiotic overuse as largely
due to farmers’ concern for the welfare of their cattle and desire to treat ailments swiftly. Interviewees believed
that it was possible to reduce antibiotic use through regulation, such as the Veterinary Feed Directive and
improved herd management activities, such as better colostrum management, culture-based mastitis treatment,
and improved housing conditions. They did not view the dairy industry as a significant contributor to AMR,
particularly when compared to the human medical industry. Interviewees also offered their (unsolicited) opinion
on organic dairy farming in the US and expressed frustration with the limited treatment options available in
organic dairy farming and how this dynamic may potentially compromise animal welfare. Finally, they commented
on the impact of consumers’ beliefs on the dairy industry, expressing frustration with how misinformation
about the dairy industry has led to consumer driven changes. As consumer beliefs have an impact on the
dairy industry, this influence could be leveraged to further decrease antibiotic use. These findings can help guide
future efforts in veterinarian-client communication and the development and implementation of effective policies
in New York State. These results also highlight the need for more quantitative research on antibiotic use in
the dairy industry, as without this data it will be difficult to ascertain the true impact of policy interventions.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Elenco autori:
H. Padda, M. Wemette, A.G. Safi, W. Beauvais, M.A. Shapiro, P. Moroni, R. Ivanek
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