Pat's Note: And the government still refuses to release the results of
testing Britain's pigs for MRSA?

They are still stuffing the pigs with antibiotics to keep them alive
long enough to get them into the food chain after NINE years

The pigs are sick and have been sick since 1999. When the public
catches up with them, there will be hell to pay.

http://www.soilassociation.org/web/sa/saweb.nsf/848d689047cb466780256a6b00298980/b77dcda6c917c3f6802574ac0038e073!OpenDocument

Human health threatened as farm use of life-saving antibiotics
increases again   

PRESS RELEASE 21/08/2008 (version 1)
Categories: Antibiotics | Press Releases 2008 | Downloads and other
links 


Government figures just published show another big jump in the
veterinary use of two of the most important classes of antibiotics in
human medicine. [1]

The latest data shows that, in 2007, the veterinary use of
fluoroquinolone antibiotics increased by 20% compared with 2006, and
the use of cephalosporin antibiotics increased by 10%. [2] [3] 

This is the sixth time in the last seven years that both
fluoroquinolone and cephalosporin use has increased. In comparison
with 2001, fluoroquinolone use in 2007 is up by 48% and cephalosporin
use up by 138%. This has occurred despite large falls in livestock
numbers over the same period. Since 2001 [4] pig numbers have fallen
by 17%, poultry by 7%, cattle by 3% and sheep by 8%. [5]

With rising antibiotic resistance in human and veterinary medicine,
and very few new antibiotics coming on to the market, fluoroquinolones
and modern cephalosporins are two of the most effective classes of
antibiotics remaining for treating life-threatening infections, such
as meningitis in children, or severe campylobacter, shigella or
salmonella infections. As a result, these drugs have been classified
as ‘critically important antibiotics for human medicine’ by the World
Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO have also said that they are two of
the three antibiotic classes for which there should be the greatest
sense of urgency for developing strategies to preserve their
effectiveness in human medicine. [6] 

Mounting evidence that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are spreading
from farm animals to humans has recently led the European Medicines
Agency (EMEA) to run consultations on the veterinary use of
fluoroquinolones and modern cephalosporins. In both cases, the EMEA’s
advisory committee expressed concerns about resistant bacteria
spreading from animals to humans and called for these antibiotics to
be used as prudently as possible in farming. [7] [8] [9]

In contrast to the situation with fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins,
the latest data for overall farm antibiotic use do show a welcome 4%
fall since last year, although this can be partly explained by lower
livestock numbers.

The Soil Association welcomes the fact that finally the Government’s
statistics also include valuable information on the relative amount of
antibiotics used in different animal species. From this, it can be
estimated that approximately 64% of all farm antibiotic use is in
pigs, 32% in poultry, 3% in cattle, 1% in fish and less than 0.5% in
sheep. [10]

These figures show the huge reliance of the intensive pig and poultry
industries on antibiotics. On the other hand, grazing animals like
cattle and sheep, are generally farmed less intensively, with greater
access to the outdoors. As a result, they develop fewer diseases and
do not need as many antibiotics. 

Richard Young, Soil Association policy adviser, said: 
“We estimate that a move to less intensive, more health-oriented
livestock farming, could reduce farm antibiotic use by up to 75%. This
would help to safeguard the future effectiveness of critically
important drugs, and over the coming years, save countless human
lives.

“The Government needs to get a grip on the situation quickly. Despite
a warning from the House of Lords in 1998 on the veterinary use of
fluoroquinolones and the increasing concern of the WHO and European
regulators more recently, it has taken no effective action, and the
use of these life-saving drugs is now increasing exponentially, year
after year. 

“We accept there are occasions when these antibiotics should
legitimately be used on farms to prevent the death or suffering of
large mammals like cattle and pigs. But it is quite clear that through
ignorance of the long-term consequences, many vets and farmers are
still choosing them just because they are modern medicines, when for
most conditions there are equally effective alternatives."

[Ends]

For further information please contact:
Richard Young, Soil Association policy advisor, on 01386 858235,
ryoung@soilassociation.org
Cóilín Nunan, Soil Association policy researcher, on 01890 870687,
coilin.nunan@phonecoop.coop 

Notes for editors:

[1] Defra press release (20 Aug 2008) 'Sales Of Veterinary
Antimicrobials In The UK In 2007' 
http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2008/080820b.htm

[2] Cephalosporins are the most modern penicillin-type antibiotics.
They are effective against a large number of infectious bacteria, but
because of their importance in human medicine they should be used only
in limited circumstances in order to preserve their effectiveness.
Although resistance to any cephalosporin is considered a serious
problem, the greater concerns relate to the more modern third and
fourth generation cephalosporins. The Government’s figures on the
veterinary use of antibiotics, however, do not differentiate between
the different generations of cephalosporins, so the figures quoted in
this press release apply to all cephalosporins. Nevertheless, earlier
this year the Government’s Veterinary Medicines Directorate provided
us with statistics showing that the veterinary use of third and fourth
generation cephalosporins increased by 209% between 1999 and 2006.
Fluoroquinolones are the most modern quinolone-type antibiotics. The
quinolones are one of the very few new classes of antibiotics to be
developed during the last 30 years. The US has banned the use of
fluoroquinolones in poultry production, Finland severely restricts
them and regulators in Australia have refused to allow their use in
food animals entirely.

[3] Figures in Veterinary Medicines Directorate, 2008. ‘Sales of
antimicrobial products authorised for use as veterinary medicines,
antiprotozoals, antifungals, growth promoters and coccidiostats, in
the UK in 2007.’
http://www.vmd.gov.uk/Publications/Antibiotic/salesanti07.pdf 

[4] A comparison is being made with 2001 for livestock numbers and
antibiotic consumption because this is the first year for which there
are comparable, fully revised, livestock numbers.

[5] Figures for 2001 in Veterinary Medicines Directorate, 2007. ‘Sales
of antimicrobial products authorised for use as veterinary medicines,
antiprotozoals, antifungals, growth promoters and coccidiostats, in
the UK in 2006.’
http://www.vmd.gov.uk/Publications/Antibiotic/salesanti06.pdf

[6] World Health Organisation, 2007. ‘Critically important
antimicrobials for human medicine – categorization for the development
of risk management strategies to contain antimicrobial resistance due
to non-human antimicrobial use’, Report of the second WHO Expert
meeting, Copenhagen, 29-31 May 2007,
http://www.who.int/foodborne_disease/resistance/antimicrobials_human.pdf

[7] Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use, 2006.
‘Reflection paper on the use of fluoroquinolones in food-producing
animals in the European Union: development of resistance and impact on
human and animal health’, European Medicines Agency,
http://www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/vet/srwp/18465105en.pdf 

[8] Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use, 2008.
‘Reflection paper on the use of third and fourth generation
cephalosporins in food-producing animals in the European Union:
development of resistance and impact on human and animal health’,
European Medicines Agency.

[9] While all European organic standards already restrict the use of
antibiotics on farms (routine prophylactic use is not permitted, the
frequency of therapeutic use is restricted and extended withdrawal
periods are required after their use before animals can be
slaughtered), the Soil Association has further limited the use of
fluoroquinolones on farms it certifies. These antibiotics can only be
used with the organisation’s permission, and only on individual
animals. Permission to use them should be discussed in the annual
health plan, but in cases where they are needed to save lives or
prevent suffering, this permission can be sought retrospectively. From
January 2009, similar restrictions will be introduced by the Soil
Association for the use of third and fourth generation cephalosporins.

[10] The species breakdown provided in the Veterinary Medicines
Directorate report is not entirely complete – 7% of the antibiotic
products sold for use in food animals only are not broken down by
species (there is additionally a similar amount of antibiotics sold
for use in food animals and pets which is not broken down by species).
Our estimate of the percentages used in each food-animal species may
not therefore be entirely accurate, but it gives a reasonably good
reflection of the true situation.

 
-- 
Regards
Pat Gardiner
Release the results of testing British pigs for MRSA and C.Diff now!
www.go-self-sufficient.com  and http://animal-epidemics.blogspot.com/

On Aug 21, 5:30 pm, Pat Gardiner 
wrote:
> Pat's Note: And the government still refuses to release the results of
> testing Britain's pigs for MRSA?
>
> They are still stuffing the pigs with antibiotics to keep them alive
> long enough to get them into the food chain after NINE years
>
> The pigs are sick and have been sick since 1999. When the public
> catches up with them, there will be hell to pay.
>
> http://www.soilassociation.org/web/sa/saweb.nsf/848d689047cb466780256...
>
> Human health threatened as farm use of life-saving antibiotics
> increases again
>
> PRESS RELEASE 21/08/2008 (version 1)
> Categories: Antibiotics | Press Releases 2008 | Downloads and other
> links
>
> Government figures just published show another big jump in the
> veterinary use of two of the most important classes of antibiotics in
> human medicine. [1]
>
> The latest data shows that, in 2007, the veterinary use of
> fluoroquinolone antibiotics increased by 20% compared with 2006, and
> the use of cephalosporin antibiotics increased by 10%. [2] [3]
>
> This is the sixth time in the last seven years that both
> fluoroquinolone and cephalosporin use has increased. In comparison
> with 2001, fluoroquinolone use in 2007 is up by 48% and cephalosporin
> use up by 138%. This has occurred despite large falls in livestock
> numbers over the same period. Since 2001 [4] pig numbers have fallen
> by 17%, poultry by 7%, cattle by 3% and sheep by 8%. [5]
>
> With rising antibiotic resistance in human and veterinary medicine,
> and very few new antibiotics coming on to the market, fluoroquinolones
> and modern cephalosporins are two of the most effective classes of
> antibiotics remaining for treating life-threatening infections, such
> as meningitis in children, or severe campylobacter, shigella or
> salmonella infections. As a result, these drugs have been classified
> as ‘critically important antibiotics for human medicine’ by the World
> Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO have also said that they are two of
> the three antibiotic classes for which there should be the greatest
> sense of urgency for developing strategies to preserve their
> effectiveness in human medicine. [6]
>
> Mounting evidence that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are spreading
> from farm animals to humans has recently led the European Medicines
> Agency (EMEA) to run consultations on the veterinary use of
> fluoroquinolones and modern cephalosporins. In both cases, the EMEA’s
> advisory committee expressed concerns about resistant bacteria
> spreading from animals to humans and called for these antibiotics to
> be used as prudently as possible in farming. [7] [8] [9]
>
> In contrast to the situation with fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins,
> the latest data for overall farm antibiotic use do show a welcome 4%
> fall since last year, although this can be partly explained by lower
> livestock numbers.
>
> The Soil Association welcomes the fact that finally the Government’s
> statistics also include valuable information on the relative amount of
> antibiotics used in different animal species. From this, it can be
> estimated that approximately 64% of all farm antibiotic use is in
> pigs, 32% in poultry, 3% in cattle, 1% in fish and less than 0.5% in
> sheep. [10]
>
> These figures show the huge reliance of the intensive pig and poultry
> industries on antibiotics. On the other hand, grazing animals like
> cattle and sheep, are generally farmed less intensively, with greater
> access to the outdoors. As a result, they develop fewer diseases and
> do not need as many antibiotics.
>
> Richard Young, Soil Association policy adviser, said:
> “We estimate that a move to less intensive, more health-oriented
> livestock farming, could reduce farm antibiotic use by up to 75%. This
> would help to safeguard the future effectiveness of critically
> important drugs, and over the coming years, save countless human
> lives.
>
> “The Government needs to get a grip on the situation quickly. Despite
> a warning from the House of Lords in 1998 on the veterinary use of
> fluoroquinolones and the increasing concern of the WHO and European
> regulators more recently, it has taken no effective action, and the
> use of these life-saving drugs is now increasing exponentially, year
> after year.
>
> “We accept there are occasions when these antibiotics should
> legitimately be used on farms to prevent the death or suffering of
> large mammals like cattle and pigs. But it is quite clear that through
> ignorance of the long-term consequences, many vets and farmers are
> still choosing them just because they are modern medicines, when for
> most conditions there are equally effective alternatives."
>
> [Ends]
>
> For further information please contact:
> Richard Young, Soil Association policy advisor, on 01386 858235,
> ryo...@soilassociation.org
> Cóilín Nunan, Soil Association policy researcher, on 01890 870687,
> coilin.nu...@phonecoop.coop
>
> Notes for editors:
>
> [1] Defra press release (20 Aug 2008) 'Sales Of Veterinary
> Antimicrobials In The UK In 2007'http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2008/080820b.htm
>
> [2] Cephalosporins are the most modern penicillin-type antibiotics.
> They are effective against a large number of infectious bacteria, but
> because of their importance in human medicine they should be used only
> in limited circumstances in order to preserve their effectiveness.
> Although resistance to any cephalosporin is considered a serious
> problem, the greater concerns relate to the more modern third and
> fourth generation cephalosporins. The Government’s figures on the
> veterinary use of antibiotics, however, do not differentiate between
> the different generations of cephalosporins, so the figures quoted in
> this press release apply to all cephalosporins. Nevertheless, earlier
> this year the Government’s Veterinary Medicines Directorate provided
> us with statistics showing that the veterinary use of third and fourth
> generation cephalosporins increased by 209% between 1999 and 2006.
> Fluoroquinolones are the most modern quinolone-type antibiotics. The
> quinolones are one of the very few new classes of antibiotics to be
> developed during the last 30 years. The US has banned the use of
> fluoroquinolones in poultry production, Finland severely restricts
> them and regulators in Australia have refused to allow their use in
> food animals entirely.
>
> [3] Figures in Veterinary Medicines Directorate, 2008. ‘Sales of
> antimicrobial products authorised for use as veterinary medicines,
> antiprotozoals, antifungals, growth promoters and coccidiostats, in
> the UK in 2007.’http://www.vmd.gov.uk/Publications/Antibiotic/salesanti07.pdf
>
> [4] A comparison is being made with 2001 for livestock numbers and
> antibiotic consumption because this is the first year for which there
> are comparable, fully revised, livestock numbers.
>
> [5] Figures for 2001 in Veterinary Medicines Directorate, 2007. ‘Sales
> of antimicrobial products authorised for use as veterinary medicines,
> antiprotozoals, antifungals, growth promoters and coccidiostats, in
> the UK in 2006.’http://www.vmd.gov.uk/Publications/Antibiotic/salesanti06.pdf
>
> [6] World Health Organisation, 2007. ‘Critically important
> antimicrobials for human medicine – categorization for the development
> of risk management strategies to contain antimicrobial resistance due
> to non-human antimicrobial use’, Report of the second WHO Expert
> meeting, Copenhagen, 29-31 May 2007,http://www.who.int/foodborne_disease/resistance/antimicrobials_human.pdf
>
> [7] Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use, 2006.
> ‘Reflection paper on the use of fluoroquinolones in food-producing
> animals in the European Union: development of resistance and impact on
> human and animal health’, European Medicines Agency,http://www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/vet/srwp/18465105en.pdf
>
> [8] Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use, 2008.
> ‘Reflection paper on the use of third and fourth generation
> cephalosporins in food-producing animals in the European Union:
> development of resistance and impact on human and animal health’,
> European Medicines Agency.
>
> [9] While all European organic standards already restrict the use of
> antibiotics on farms (routine prophylactic use is not permitted, the
> frequency of therapeutic use is restricted and extended withdrawal
> periods are required after their use before animals can be
> slaughtered), the Soil Association has further limited the use of
> fluoroquinolones on farms it certifies. These antibiotics can only be
> used with the organisation’s permission, and only on individual
> animals. Permission to use them should be discussed in the annual
> health plan, but in cases where they are needed to save lives or
> prevent suffering, this permission can be sought retrospectively. From
> January 2009, similar restrictions will be introduced by the Soil
> Association for the use of third and fourth generation cephalosporins.
>
> [10] The species breakdown provided in the Veterinary Medicines
> Directorate report is not entirely complete – 7% of the antibiotic
> products sold for use in food animals only are not broken down by
> species (there is additionally a similar amount of antibiotics sold
> for use in food animals and pets which is not broken down by species).
> Our estimate of the percentages used in each food-animal species may
> not therefore be entirely accurate, but it gives a reasonably good
> reflection of the true situation.
>
> --
> Regards
> Pat Gardiner
> Release the results of testing British pigs for MRSA and C.Diff now!www.go-self-sufficient.com andhttp://animal-epidemics.blogspot.com/

Pat:   Your whole British Swine industry is in a total shambles.   It
isn't getting any better, either.   Either NPA gets rid of Stewart
Houston or company, or it's going to die.   The whole deal needs a
house-cleaning or your producers won't ever survive.


Change is hard, but progress takes change.

Your NPA is not doing a thing to help their own producers.   As long
as Houston is in charge, the continuum of attrition will continue.

Burkie

On Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:19:38 -0700 (PDT), Burkie 
wrote:

>On Aug 21, 5:30 pm, Pat Gardiner 
>wrote:
>> Pat's Note: And the government still refuses to release the results of
>> testing Britain's pigs for MRSA?
>>
>> They are still stuffing the pigs with antibiotics to keep them alive
>> long enough to get them into the food chain after NINE years
>>
>> The pigs are sick and have been sick since 1999. When the public
>> catches up with them, there will be hell to pay.
>>
>> http://www.soilassociation.org/web/sa/saweb.nsf/848d689047cb466780256...
>>
>> Human health threatened as farm use of life-saving antibiotics
>> increases again
>>
>> PRESS RELEASE 21/08/2008 (version 1)
>> Categories: Antibiotics | Press Releases 2008 | Downloads and other
>> links
>>
>> Government figures just published show another big jump in the
>> veterinary use of two of the most important classes of antibiotics in
>> human medicine. [1]
>>
>> The latest data shows that, in 2007, the veterinary use of
>> fluoroquinolone antibiotics increased by 20% compared with 2006, and
>> the use of cephalosporin antibiotics increased by 10%. [2] [3]
>>
>> This is the sixth time in the last seven years that both
>> fluoroquinolone and cephalosporin use has increased. In comparison
>> with 2001, fluoroquinolone use in 2007 is up by 48% and cephalosporin
>> use up by 138%. This has occurred despite large falls in livestock
>> numbers over the same period. Since 2001 [4] pig numbers have fallen
>> by 17%, poultry by 7%, cattle by 3% and sheep by 8%. [5]
>>
>> With rising antibiotic resistance in human and veterinary medicine,
>> and very few new antibiotics coming on to the market, fluoroquinolones
>> and modern cephalosporins are two of the most effective classes of
>> antibiotics remaining for treating life-threatening infections, such
>> as meningitis in children, or severe campylobacter, shigella or
>> salmonella infections. As a result, these drugs have been classified
>> as ‘critically important antibiotics for human medicine’ by the World
>> Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO have also said that they are two of
>> the three antibiotic classes for which there should be the greatest
>> sense of urgency for developing strategies to preserve their
>> effectiveness in human medicine. [6]
>>
>> Mounting evidence that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are spreading
>> from farm animals to humans has recently led the European Medicines
>> Agency (EMEA) to run consultations on the veterinary use of
>> fluoroquinolones and modern cephalosporins. In both cases, the EMEA’s
>> advisory committee expressed concerns about resistant bacteria
>> spreading from animals to humans and called for these antibiotics to
>> be used as prudently as possible in farming. [7] [8] [9]
>>
>> In contrast to the situation with fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins,
>> the latest data for overall farm antibiotic use do show a welcome 4%
>> fall since last year, although this can be partly explained by lower
>> livestock numbers.
>>
>> The Soil Association welcomes the fact that finally the Government’s
>> statistics also include valuable information on the relative amount of
>> antibiotics used in different animal species. From this, it can be
>> estimated that approximately 64% of all farm antibiotic use is in
>> pigs, 32% in poultry, 3% in cattle, 1% in fish and less than 0.5% in
>> sheep. [10]
>>
>> These figures show the huge reliance of the intensive pig and poultry
>> industries on antibiotics. On the other hand, grazing animals like
>> cattle and sheep, are generally farmed less intensively, with greater
>> access to the outdoors. As a result, they develop fewer diseases and
>> do not need as many antibiotics.
>>
>> Richard Young, Soil Association policy adviser, said:
>> “We estimate that a move to less intensive, more health-oriented
>> livestock farming, could reduce farm antibiotic use by up to 75%. This
>> would help to safeguard the future effectiveness of critically
>> important drugs, and over the coming years, save countless human
>> lives.
>>
>> “The Government needs to get a grip on the situation quickly. Despite
>> a warning from the House of Lords in 1998 on the veterinary use of
>> fluoroquinolones and the increasing concern of the WHO and European
>> regulators more recently, it has taken no effective action, and the
>> use of these life-saving drugs is now increasing exponentially, year
>> after year.
>>
>> “We accept there are occasions when these antibiotics should
>> legitimately be used on farms to prevent the death or suffering of
>> large mammals like cattle and pigs. But it is quite clear that through
>> ignorance of the long-term consequences, many vets and farmers are
>> still choosing them just because they are modern medicines, when for
>> most conditions there are equally effective alternatives."
>>
>> [Ends]
>>
>> For further information please contact:
>> Richard Young, Soil Association policy advisor, on 01386 858235,
>> ryo...@soilassociation.org
>> Cóilín Nunan, Soil Association policy researcher, on 01890 870687,
>> coilin.nu...@phonecoop.coop
>>
>> Notes for editors:
>>
>> [1] Defra press release (20 Aug 2008) 'Sales Of Veterinary
>> Antimicrobials In The UK In 2007'http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2008/080820b.htm
>>
>> [2] Cephalosporins are the most modern penicillin-type antibiotics.
>> They are effective against a large number of infectious bacteria, but
>> because of their importance in human medicine they should be used only
>> in limited circumstances in order to preserve their effectiveness.
>> Although resistance to any cephalosporin is considered a serious
>> problem, the greater concerns relate to the more modern third and
>> fourth generation cephalosporins. The Government’s figures on the
>> veterinary use of antibiotics, however, do not differentiate between
>> the different generations of cephalosporins, so the figures quoted in
>> this press release apply to all cephalosporins. Nevertheless, earlier
>> this year the Government’s Veterinary Medicines Directorate provided
>> us with statistics showing that the veterinary use of third and fourth
>> generation cephalosporins increased by 209% between 1999 and 2006.
>> Fluoroquinolones are the most modern quinolone-type antibiotics. The
>> quinolones are one of the very few new classes of antibiotics to be
>> developed during the last 30 years. The US has banned the use of
>> fluoroquinolones in poultry production, Finland severely restricts
>> them and regulators in Australia have refused to allow their use in
>> food animals entirely.
>>
>> [3] Figures in Veterinary Medicines Directorate, 2008. ‘Sales of
>> antimicrobial products authorised for use as veterinary medicines,
>> antiprotozoals, antifungals, growth promoters and coccidiostats, in
>> the UK in 2007.’http://www.vmd.gov.uk/Publications/Antibiotic/salesanti07.pdf
>>
>> [4] A comparison is being made with 2001 for livestock numbers and
>> antibiotic consumption because this is the first year for which there
>> are comparable, fully revised, livestock numbers.
>>
>> [5] Figures for 2001 in Veterinary Medicines Directorate, 2007. ‘Sales
>> of antimicrobial products authorised for use as veterinary medicines,
>> antiprotozoals, antifungals, growth promoters and coccidiostats, in
>> the UK in 2006.’http://www.vmd.gov.uk/Publications/Antibiotic/salesanti06.pdf
>>
>> [6] World Health Organisation, 2007. ‘Critically important
>> antimicrobials for human medicine – categorization for the development
>> of risk management strategies to contain antimicrobial resistance due
>> to non-human antimicrobial use’, Report of the second WHO Expert
>> meeting, Copenhagen, 29-31 May 2007,http://www.who.int/foodborne_disease/resistance/antimicrobials_human.pdf
>>
>> [7] Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use, 2006.
>> ‘Reflection paper on the use of fluoroquinolones in food-producing
>> animals in the European Union: development of resistance and impact on
>> human and animal health’, European Medicines Agency,http://www.emea.europa.eu/pdfs/vet/srwp/18465105en.pdf
>>
>> [8] Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use, 2008.
>> ‘Reflection paper on the use of third and fourth generation
>> cephalosporins in food-producing animals in the European Union:
>> development of resistance and impact on human and animal health’,
>> European Medicines Agency.
>>
>> [9] While all European organic standards already restrict the use of
>> antibiotics on farms (routine prophylactic use is not permitted, the
>> frequency of therapeutic use is restricted and extended withdrawal
>> periods are required after their use before animals can be
>> slaughtered), the Soil Association has further limited the use of
>> fluoroquinolones on farms it certifies. These antibiotics can only be
>> used with the organisation’s permission, and only on individual
>> animals. Permission to use them should be discussed in the annual
>> health plan, but in cases where they are needed to save lives or
>> prevent suffering, this permission can be sought retrospectively. From
>> January 2009, similar restrictions will be introduced by the Soil
>> Association for the use of third and fourth generation cephalosporins.
>>
>> [10] The species breakdown provided in the Veterinary Medicines
>> Directorate report is not entirely complete – 7% of the antibiotic
>> products sold for use in food animals only are not broken down by
>> species (there is additionally a similar amount of antibiotics sold
>> for use in food animals and pets which is not broken down by species).
>> Our estimate of the percentages used in each food-animal species may
>> not therefore be entirely accurate, but it gives a reasonably good
>> reflection of the true situation.
>>
>> --
>> Regards
>> Pat Gardiner
>> Release the results of testing British pigs for MRSA and C.Diff now!www.go-self-sufficient.com andhttp://animal-epidemics.blogspot.com/
>
>Pat:   Your whole British Swine industry is in a total shambles.   It
>isn't getting any better, either.   Either NPA gets rid of Stewart
>Houston or company, or it's going to die.   The whole deal needs a
>house-cleaning or your producers won't ever survive.
>
>
>Change is hard, but progress takes change.
>
>Your NPA is not doing a thing to help their own producers.   As long
>as Houston is in charge, the continuum of attrition will continue.

You may say that, but I could not possibly comment on the role of
individuals.

I will however remind you that Animal Aid entered farms owned or run
by BPEX (and NPA) board members, photographing dead pigs and huge
piles of antibiotic packaging. A link to the photos was provided here
on ukba.

The farming media is attempting to suggest, not very convincingly,
that the Soil Association interpretation of the  figures are
misleading.

I doubt that, and the policy of trying to protect the pig industry may
well result on sensible and proper use of antibiotics to treat cattle
and sheep being curtailed.

The pigs are sick and have been sick for nine years. The only way they
could keep them alive was by using massive amounts of antibiotics over
many years.

There is little more to say.

For the avoidance of doubt, I'm neither a member of, or support the
objectives of any of the organisations mentioned.

-- 
Regards
Pat Gardiner
Release the results of testing British pigs for MRSA and C.Diff now!
www.go-self-sufficient.com  and http://animal-epidemics.blogspot.com/
>
>Burkie