Determining the Characteristics of Farms That Raise Pigs without Antibiotics

Abstract

Reduced and responsible antimicrobial use leads to a lower risk of developing antimicrobial resistance. Raised Without Antibiotics (RWA) is a certification label that is recognized in only a few countries, and it is often unclear what the specific criteria and characteristics of RWA farms are. The objectives of this study were to describe the criteria for a Belgian RWA program; to coach farms towards reduced antimicrobial usage (AMU); to assess if it was possible to obtain and maintain the RWA status; and to determine differences between RWA and conventional pig farms. Pig farms (n = 28) were visited three times for the following reasons: (1) data collection, (2) farm-specific coaching (2 months later), and (3) evaluation (7 months later). AMU was followed from before the start of the study up to one year after the last visit. AMU, biosecurity (Biocheck.UGentTM), and farm characteristics of (non-)RWA farms were compared. RWA was defined as no antibiotics from birth until slaughter. Pigs requiring individual treatment received a special ear tag and were excluded from the program. The status of the farms varied over time, and the distribution of RWA vs. non-RWA was 10–18, 13–15, and 12–16, before intervention, after coaching, and after one year, respectively. For the non-RWA farms, there was a reduction in AMU of 61%, 38%, and 23%, for the suckling piglets, fattening pigs, and sows, respectively, indicating that they were moving toward the RWA status. There were no significant differences in biosecurity status between RWA and non-RWA farms, but biosecurity improved in all farms throughout the study. RWA farms were smaller (median 200 sows) compared to non-RWA farms (median 350 sows). The 4-week system was used more in non-RWA farms, while the 3- and 5-week systems were used most often in RWA farms. This study showed that farmers could achieve and maintain the RWA status through farm-specific coaching related to prudent AMU and improved biosecurity.

Can Improved Farm Biosecurity Reduce the Need for Antimicrobials in Food Animals? A Scoping Review

“…The impact of the awareness campaigns (or coaching) and the economic benefits of farm biosecurity interventions in curbing AMU has been assessed in several studies [29][30][31]44]. In a study on Dutch dairy herds, a combination of awareness-raising and restrictive measures was found to reduce antibiotic use by 17% in 2012 compared to 2009 [44].…”

“…In a study on Dutch dairy herds, a combination of awareness-raising and restrictive measures was found to reduce antibiotic use by 17% in 2012 compared to 2009 [44]. Another study on raising pigs without antibiotics (RWA) reported that farmers could achieve and maintain RWA status through farm-specific coaching related to prudent AMU and improved biosecurity [29]. A study on pig farms found that implementing new biosecurity measures and vaccinations led to an increase in enterprise profit of +€2.67/finisher pig/year [30].…”

Antibiotic Use in European Pig Production: Less Is More

“…However, specific inclusion criteria for RWA production and the implementation of RWA in a large number of herds with varying management and housing conditions has only been limitedly investigated. In a recent Belgian study [ 61 ], 28 Belgian pig herds were enrolled, and their ABU was followed for a period of 35 months. The goal of the study was to evaluate to what extent pig farms could be coached towards antimicrobial-free pig production and to what extent they could also maintain this status over time.…”