The Milk Producer - May 2012 - (Page 32)

APPLIEDSCIENCE By Vineet Saini, Stina Nilsson, Herman Barkema, Patrick Boerlin, J. Trenton McClure and Hélène Poirier ith public concern about antimicrobial resistance increasing in recent years, the livestock industry’s antibiotic use has come under more scrutiny. However, data from our recent study suggests Canadian dairy farmers have been using these drugs responsibly. Bovine mastitis remains the primary reason for dairy farmers worldwide Concerns allayed? W New study data show Canadian dairy farmers using antibiotics responsibly to treat or prevent mastitis in their cattle The concern about using antimicrobials in food animal production systems is the potential of transferring antimicrobial-resistant bacteria or resistant genes to human populations via the food chain. It is hypothesized that there is an association between antimicrobial use and resistance in food animal pathogens. Since this hypothesis has yet to be proven in a dairy farm environment, data on antimicrobial use and resistance in common mastitis pathogens would be needed for our investigation. Such information had been unavailable in the Canadian industry. Our study’s objectives were: • to determine antimicrobial use in Canadian dairy cattle; • to determine antimicrobial resistance patterns in common mastitis pathogens; • to describe the effect of clinical mastitis treatment or dry cow therapy on the changes in antimicrobial resistance in bovine mastitis pathogens in Canada. to use antimicrobials. Antimicrobial use is among preferred approaches to prevent and treat mastitis in dairy cattle infected with pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus uberis, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species. Antimicrobial treatments are a preferred approach to treating and preventing infections in dairy cattle. Actual use compiled We determined antimicrobial drug use by using an inventory of empty antimicrobial containers collected in specially provided receptacles at 89 dairy farms located in six provinces. Data were collected from producerwritten on-farm treatment records as well. Results showed the six most commonly used antimicrobial drug classes were cephalosporins, penicillins, penicillin combinations, tetracyclines, 32 | May 2012 | MilkPRODUCER

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Milk Producer - May 2012

The Milk Producer - May 2012
Contents
Editor's Notes
DFO Chair's Message
Dairy Update
Farm Finance
DFC Promotion
Cover Story
Research
Applied Science
Ruminations
Udder Health
Calf Health
Markets
New 'N' Noted
Back Forty

The Milk Producer - May 2012