Further decrease in the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in Austrian dairy cows is necessary: study
Today's European Antibiotic Awareness Day demonstrates the necessity of the responsible use of antimicrobial substances in both humans and animals to prevent the development of antibiotic resistance. With this in mind, the Institute of Veterinary Public Health at the Vetmeduni Vienna published a study on the use of antibiotics on Austrian dairy farms earlier this year. Although dairy cattle are less frequently treated with antibiotics than pigs and poultry, the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics such as cephalosporins should be reduced. These drugs are considered particularly important by the World Health Organization (WHO), as they are essential for the treatment of severe bacterial infections in humans. Resistance to these antibiotics can, therefore, have very serious consequences. The study was published in English in the Berliner and Münchner Tierärztlichen Wochenschrift.