Why Use Antibiotics?

• Antibiotics are used by farmers to keep the cattle healthy and prevent spreading of disease.

• Cattle can pick up disease whether they are out on pasture or when they are in close proximity with other animals.

How Are Antibiotics Used?

• When the animals are sick, farmers or veterinarians will evaluate when to use antibiotics and what are the dosages and treatment protocols to treat the sick animal.

• When administering antibiotics, farmers will follow the precise label directions that are developed and approved by local authorities. Just like human medicine, there are many protocols that were developed by veterinarians and scientists. It is important for the farmers to follow them diligently.

• Antibiotics are used to prevent disease from spreading to other animals or humans.

• Antibiotics use is different from growth promotion in 3 different ways, namely: dose, duration and level of veterinary insight.

Why Not To Overuse Antibiotics?

• It is against the law to overuse antibiotics.

• It is very costly to the farmers if antibiotics are overused.

Are Antibiotics Safe?

• All antibiotics go through rigorous government scrutiny before being approved.

• Animal medicine needs to go through 3 layers of approval - is the medicine safe for the animal, environment and for humans that are eating the meat. All 3 layers must be approved before it can be used for the animals.

• Even after approval, antibiotics in the market are constantly monitored and re-evaluated annually.

How Are Antibiotics Being Improved?

• The entire livestock community are working together to improve the way antibiotics work and how they are used in animals.