ISSUE FOCUS 44 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE September 2023 "A more holistic approach to livestock welfare is needed. High-quality feed with key nutrients and beneficial ingredients can play an important role in animal welfare and comes with other benefits such as promoting growth and boosting productivity. For example, lauric acid – a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) which is derived from palm kernel oil and coconut oil – has potent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that support immune function." In 2019 the World Health Organization declared antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as one of the top 10 global public health threats to humanity. That year, deaths associated with bacterial AMR were estimated to reach 1.27 million globally. If left unchecked, this figure is predicted to hit 10 million by 2050. These warnings have contributed to successful reductions in antibiotic use, not least in the animal agriculture sector. In the ten years leading up to 2021, global sales of antibiotics for veterinary use were down by over one-quarter, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). Some major livestock-producing countries in Europe and the United Kingdom cut sales by more than 50 percent. Legislation is helping to consolidate these advances and further reduce reliance on antibiotics in farming. The EU’s 2022 Veterinary Medicines Regulation prohibited the routine use of antibiotics in livestock, preventing the use of these powerful medicines to compensate for inadequate animal husbandry or poor hygiene. Falling in line with new rules has proved harder in some European markets than others. Before 2022, farmers in Poland, Italy and Spain, where ‘group’ antibiotic treatments at the herd rather than individual level were prevalent, used up to 20 times more antibiotics per livestock unit than the lowest users, which included Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The continuing challenge for farmers in the EU – and elsewhere – is not just how to keep animals healthy without resorting to antibiotics; it’s how to prioritise health without making sacrifices in other areas. SAFE FOOD BEGINS WITH SAFE FEED A more holistic approach to livestock welfare is needed. High-quality feed with key nutrients and beneficial ingredients can play an important role in animal welfare and comes with other benefits such as promoting growth and boosting productivity. For example, lauric acid – a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) which is derived from palm kernel oil and coconut oil – has potent antibacterial and anti-inPLANT-BASED INGREDIENTS OFFER A ROUTE TO ENHANCED LIVESTOCK HEALTH – while improving outcomes for planet and people Irene Trigueros Feed Business Unit Manager, Iberia Golden Agri-Resources
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