Despite
calls for bans on using antibiotics as growth promotants, a team of researchers
is predicting that the use of animal antibiotics will increase 67 percent by
2030.
The report
– “Global trends in antimicrobial use in food animals” – sets the
first global map of antibiotic consumption in livestock in 228 countries.
It says
the increase will be driven by higher consumer demand for livestock products
among middle-income countries and a shift to large-scale farms where
antimicrobials are routinely used.
Increased
demand for animal protein led to an estimate of total consumption in 2010 of
63,151 tons of antimicrobials, according to the report.
The
scientists also project that antimicrobial consumption will nearly double from
2010 levels in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa by 2030.
The
researchers believe that the findings should spark initiatives to preserve
antibiotic effectiveness while also ensuring food security in low- and
lower-middle-income countries.
