Reducing Antimicrobial Use and Dependence in Livestock Production Systems: A Social and Economic Sciences Perspective on an Interdisciplinary Approach

Abstract

Objective: In livestock production, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is considered an externality as it is the undesired result of preventive and curative antimicrobial use. To address this biosocial issue, our objective is to present an approach based on interdisciplinary research to develop strategies and policies that aim to contain AMR.Method: To do so, we addressed three fundamental questions on which control policies and strategies for agricultural pollution problems are centered in the light of AMR. To ensure the technical, economic, behavioral and political feasibility of the developed measures, we demonstrated the usefulness of systemic approaches to define who, what and how to target by considering the complexity in which the ultimate decision-maker is embedded. We then define how voluntary or compulsory behavioral change can be achieved via five routes, introducing a clear taxonomy for AMR Interventions. Finally, we present three criteria for ex-ante analysis and ex-post evaluation of policies and strategies.Conclusion: Interdisciplinary systemic approaches enable the development of AMR policies and strategies that are technically, politically, economically and, last but not least, behaviorally feasible by allowing the identification of (a) all actors influencing AMU in livestock production, (b) power relations between these actors, (c) adequate regulatory and intervention bases, (d) what behavioral change strategy to use, (e) whom should implement this, as well as the cost-effective assessment of combinations of interventions. Unfortunately, AMR policies and strategies are often investigated within different disciplines and not in a holistic and systemic way, which is why we advocate for more interdisciplinary work and discuss opportunities for further research.

Gastrointestinal tract and neuroendocrine system responses of young turkeys to the early administration of antibiotics or feeding a diet containing a coccidiostat

“…Antibiotic growth promoters were banned in the EU in 2006, in the US in 2017 and are still allowed in Brazil and China ( Roth et al, 2019 ). In the recently adopted “Farm to fork” UE strategy, all Member States have committed to reduce the use of antimicrobials in animal production by 50% ( More, 2020 ; Baudoin et al, 2021 ). United States Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) issued similar guidelines to phase out the use of medically important antibiotics in livestock for production purposes ( Wallinga et al, 2022 ).…”

Knowledge Gaps in the Understanding of Antimicrobial Resistance in Canada

“…Even when AMS strategies in human hospitals were developed, they often did not include who should act and failed to account for multi-professional care teams and details on when to start/stop antimicrobials ( 36 ). Livestock-focused research suggests when AMR mitigation research is interdisciplinary, behavioral feasibility is also considered by identifying all actors in livestock AMU and power relationships ( 37 ).…”

Regulating Antimicrobial usage in Livestock Farming: Innovative and interdisciplinary solutions

“…AMR is a natural phenomenon; its increasing prevalence is however not. It is rather due to anthropogenic factors such as the intensive clinical and agricultural use of antimicrobials globally, changes in human lifestyle (such as, increased urbanization, migration and travel), misconceptions and malpractices regarding antimicrobial usage (AMU) [4]. AMR is particularly concerning in Africa and its impact is becoming more apparent, with health care associated infections increasing, the ongoing high burden of communicable diseases, weak and fragmented public and veterinary health systems.…”

“…[7]. Additionally, the institutionalization of Antimicrobial use (AMU) as well as the reduction of antimicrobial dependence is necessary in order to achieve a sustainable use of antimicrobials [4].…”