Recently one of our farmer members noticed a tiny sore spot on his finger. A swelling quickly spread to his wrist and forearm, so he saw his doctor who referred him to hospital where he was put on intravenous antibiotics.

Despite this it quickly got worse, and tests revealed antibiotic resistant bacteria in the wound. In the end the hospital was able to change to an effective antibiotic which made a big difference. However, due to complications and delayed treatment he required surgery and was off work for weeks

Antibiotic resistance is a significant global health threat. In 2019, it was directly responsible for approximately 1.3 million deaths worldwide and contributed to nearly five million deaths.  Projections indicate the number will continue to increase.

Antibiotic resistance occurs in animals too, and the impact of antibiotics from animals entering the environment also impact on humans. A concerted effort is being made by vets to reduce the use of critically important or “red light” antibiotics that are the last line of defence for some human infections.

We also aim to use antibiotics to only treat infections as antibiotics are not indicated for preventing infections.

This is particularly important when using dry cow therapy.  Most cows in a herd will have a cell count below 150,000 which indicates they are not infected and don’t need antibiotics.

Teat sealants like TeatSeal don’t contain antibiotic and stay in the cow for the long run to prevent mastitis through the longest dry period and that high-risk period at calving.

Talk to your vet at your annual dairy review about how they can work with you to reduce antibiotic use on your farm.