The amount of antibiotics used within the UK pig industry rose by 18% in 2023, due to various disease challenges faced by producers.

Recent data reveals that antibiotic use in UK pigs climbed from 72 mg/PCU (milligrams per population correction unit) in 2022 to 85 mg/PCU last year.

According to AHDB’s electronic Medicine Book (eMB), this rise disrupted the consistent decrease in usage that has been observed since 2015.

Nevertheless, the 2023 statistic remains below the 87 mg/PCU recorded in 2021, suggesting that the overall trend is still declining.

Despite this overall drop, the use of critically important antibiotics nearly halved, decreasing from 0.013 mg/PCU in 2022, already a very low figure, to just 0.007 mg/PCU in 2023. There were no reports of Colistin usage in pigs.

AHDB noted that following a 69% reduction over the past nine years, a slight increase was anticipated, especially in the face of disease issues on farms.

Disease in pigs, particularly swine dysentery, posed a challenge for several farms last year.

The National Pig Association (NPA) stated that while the figures indicated an uptick in usage, the sector remains dedicated to the responsible use of antimicrobials.

Katie Jarvis, the body’s senior policy adviser, explained that responsible usage also involves treating sick pigs when necessary.

She said: “Unfortunately, 2023 saw an increase in diseases requiring antibiotic treatment in a range of pig age groups and management systems including enteric and respiratory diseases, such as PRRSv and swine dysentery.

“There are multiple factors behind the increase in diseases, but issues in vaccine availability and poor weather are thought to have played a part.

“Furthermore, the loss of zinc oxide since the withdrawal from use of remaining product in 2023 has undoubtedly had an impact as producers will have turned to antibiotics to treat diarrhoeic pigs.”

Mandy Nevel, AHDB’s head of animal health, also reflected similar views.

She stated: “The industry had many disease challenges last year and the effects of these were compounded by some vaccine shortages.

"This is likely to be an ongoing issue as the UK has very limited capacity for animal vaccine production.

“Additionally, the removal of zinc oxide, a product that reduces post-weaning diarrhoea, may mean some producers will need to revert to antibiotics to control diarrhoea.

"However, it is expected we will not see the full impact of that until 2024 figures are released next year.”