A Research Scientist with the University of Guelph says efforts to reduce the use of antimicrobials in food production has become a global priority.A webinar scheduled for June 17th hosted by Swine Innovation Porc will look at Disease Risk and Antimicrobial Use in Swine: From Post-Weaning Diarrhea to System-Level Prevention and look at how improving disease prevention and herd health management can help producers reduce treatment pressure, improve pig performance and strengthen long-term sustainability in swine production.
Dr. Vahab Farzan, a Research Scientist and Adjunct Professor at the University of Guelph, says antimicrobial resistance is a top-of-mind issue for those who produce the pork as well as those who consume it.
Quote-Dr. Vahab Farzan-University of Guelph:
Antimicrobial resistance, the adverse effect of it, firstly results in treatment failure.Pigs become sick because of different pathogens and microbial agents and specifically bacterial agents. The genes that are responsible for antimicrobial resistance can move from one bacteria to other bacteria.
So, if there are antimicrobial resistant genes populated in pigs and a pig becomes sick for any other bacteria, the treatment perhaps will not actually be successful.There will be more mortality, more production losses and finally it results in a significant economic burden for the swine producer. The second is a public health issue. The pork will end up on the table to feed people so any gene that is responsible for antimicrobial resistance can actually transfer to a human and then from one bacteria to other bacteria. It's a public health concern, which is now a global concern, the increase of antimicrobial resistance.
The webinar is set for June 17th from 12:00 to 1:00 pm central.
For information or to register visit swineinnovationporc.ca.
Source : Farmscape.ca