Use of antibiotics in pigs on the rise in Denmark

The total consumption of antibiotics in Danish pig production has increased in 2023, according to a report from the Danish Food Institute.

The consumption of antibiotics is measured in kilograms of active substance sold and used on Danish farms, and this is the second year in a row that antibiotic consumption has increased.

This is mainly due to an increase in the use of antibiotics in the form of neomycin and apramycin for the treatment of weaning diarrhea in piglets, according to the report from the National Food Institute.

Previously, medicinal zinc was used in the EU to treat diarrhea in piglets, but this has now been banned. The reason for the ban was that too much zinc was getting onto fields through manure.

The number of pigs for slaughter has decreased in Denmark, but the production of piglets has increased, which is also thought to be the reason for the increased use.

However, the use of antibiotics has decreased for adult cattle in the country, but increased for calves.

In Sweden, on the other hand, the use of antibiotics continues to decrease in all animal production, according to agricultural trade magazine Lantbruksnytt.