Antibiotic use in game rearing continues to fall

All sectors involved in rearing animals are under pressure to reduce antibiotic use. The game rearing industry has been particularly successful at achieving this. Figures released this week reveal that there has been a 70% reduction in overall antibiotic use since 2016, and 2020 saw a 42% reduction on the previous year. These figures reveal the extent to which the shooting industry can evolve and embrace effective self regulation. Leading shooting organisations who have been involved in this initiative have issued a statement that includes these figures, and provides advice on how to achieve further reductions over the next year.

As with all sectors, but especially food producing sectors, there continues to be a need to further reduce the levels of antibiotics (AB) prescribed. Below are some summary figures from the 2020 collection, along with some reinforcement of the rules and regulations, as well as some exciting new initiatives to help forward our sector and help maintain the sustainability for future generations to come. As a sector 2020 has been one of the hardest years on record, but huge congratulations are due to those that persevered through Covid and also helped to continue reducing our overall AB use.

Silver Linings from 2020

1. There was an impressive 42% overall reduction in antibiotics used compared with 2019.*
2. And a 70% reduction since 2016.*
3. HP-CIAs (High Priority – Critically Important Antibiotics) such as Enrofloxacin showed a 62% reduction since 2019, and over 66% reduction since 2016.*

*There was a significant fall (25-35%) in the number of gamebirds reared and released in 2020 compared to 2019 due to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. Any comparison of 2020 figures with previous or subsequent years must be made in the context of this.

The joint statement also carves out the 2021 Initiatives that are in place, including:

• Game Sector Training
• The value of Mycoplasma gallisepticum testing
• New Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) Group
• Individual Antibiotic Usage
• High Priority Critically Important Antibiotics (HP-CIA)
• Pen Scoring Matrix
• Assurance
• Macrolides

For full details, you can read the joint statement in full here.