Antibiotics sales for livestock have reached the lowest levels since records began a decade ago, according to a new report published by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD).

The figures, published in the latest UK-Veterinary Antimicrobial Resistance and Sales Surveillance (VARSS) report, show that antibiotic sales in food-producing animals are 59% less than what they were in 2014.

Sales of antibiotics of highest critical importance to human health remain at extremely low levels, accounting for less than 0.5% of total veterinary antibiotic sales.

Producers, feed companies and veterinary practice sales records provided the antibiotic use data presented in the UK-VARSS report.

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The VMD, which is the UK’s policy lead for AMR, monitors antibiotic resistance through two programmes:

Harmonised monitoring – this is a UK-wide programme which tests samples taken from healthy livestock for the presence of antibiotic resistant bacteria before the animal is slaughtered.

Clinical surveillance programme – relies on the voluntary submission of diagnostic samples submitted to government and partner laboratories by farmers and veterinary surgeons based in England and Wales.

Veterinary medicines directorate CEO, Abi Seager, said: “The VMD has been publishing antibiotic sales, use and resistance data for the UK’s animal population for over a decade and the positive trends demonstrate the dedication of the UK’s farmers and vets to ensure responsible antibiotic use in animals.

“I am especially proud of our AMR surveillance programme which continues to expand and become more robust."

This year’s report marks 10 years of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data collection from pigs and poultry in the harmonised monitoring programme, and the first year to document AMR levels in sheep, beef, and dairy cattle.