A new code on best practice in prescribing and using antibiotics in farm animals has identified six key questions that farmers and their vets should answer before prescribing antibiotics.

The questions are based on the principle of "the six rights": veterinary diagnosis, animal, antibiotic, dose, duration and disposal.

The code was developed by the Irish Farmers Association (IFA), the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) and Veterinary Ireland (VI) with support from the Animal and Plant Health Association (APHA).

Substitute

The code stresses that antibiotics must not be used as a substitute for good farm management including optimum ventilation, appropriate stocking densities, good nutrition, hygiene, vaccination against disease and parasite control.

The code will form part of the agri-food sector's response to increasing levels of antibiotic resistance (AMR).

Awareness

A survey conducted by the IFA and APHA found a high level of awareness of AMR among farmers with 92% saying they saw an immediate need for greater awareness of AMR.

Three-quarters of farmers say they have a herd health management plan in place

A herd health approach to animal health on farms was also found to be increasing, with 76% of farmers saying they had a herd health management plan in place.

Critically important antibiotics (CIAs) are also identified in the plan. These CIAs are used as a last resort in humans when other antibiotics have failed.

The code states high-priority CIAs should not be used as the first line of treatment in animals. Instead, they should only be used following veterinary advice, when there are no effective alternative antibiotics available.

Reaction

Pat Farrell, chair of IFA’s animal health committee, said the survey demonstrated farmers were being pro-active in adopting good herd management practices to reduce the use of antibiotics.

He said significant investments were being made by farmers in herd health plans and vaccination programmes to achieve that reduction.

Lorcan McCabe of ICMSA said the code was welcome guidance on the proper and effective use of antibiotics.

He said farmers and vets needed to "continually review and ask themselves the questions set out in the code, particularly around the six rights”.