Since 2011, the Belgian knowledge centre has been registering the usage of antibiotics in animals in Belgium. The Covenant between the Federal Government and the sector partners involved set the goal of reducing the total usage of antibiotics in livestock farming by 50% by 2020 compared to 2011. With less than 10% to go to reach this final goal, the AMCRA articulated four new goals in its ‘Vision 2024’.
In 2016, the Covenant between the Federal Government and the sector partners involved set three goals regarding the reduction of the use of antibiotics in the animal sector.
- A 50% reduction in the usage of animal feeds medicated with antibiotics by 2017
- A 75% reduction in the usage of critically important antibiotics by the end of 2020
- A 50% reduction in the total use of antibiotics in livestock farming by the end of 2020
The first two goals were already achieved and even surpassed in 2017. AMCRA continues to work on the third objective in order to achieve it by the set deadline. “2020 is a crucial year in which extra efforts are needed,” says AMCRA chairman Prof. Dr. Jeroen Dewulf. At the end of 2019, there was a 40,3% decrease in the total use of antibiotics in livestock production compared to 2011.
After ‘Vision 2020’, AMCRA recently introduced a new reduction plan, i.e. ‘Vision 2024’. “[With Vision 2024] we build on the previous plan and assume we will achieve the Vision 2020 goals,” says Dr. Fabiana Dal Pozzo, coordinator at AMCRA.
‘Vision 2024’ consists of four objectives:
1. Determining animal specific limit values at the farm level and 1% heavy users
Limit values will be defined for low users (green zone), focus users (yellow zone) and heavy users (red zone). Those limit values will be defined in such a way that the set goal of 50 mg/kg biomass across all animal species will be achieved by the end of 2024.
Heavy users (red zone) will be actively traced, contacted, and supervised. For these users, the aim is to achieve a situation in which a maximum of 1% of all companies are in the red zones and only incidentally (no two successive reports).
2. Evolving the total use of antibiotics in animals in Belgium towards the median use in Europe
The median of the use of antibiotics in Europe is about 50 mg/kg biomass and has remained relatively steady in recent years. A gradual reduction in Belgium should eventually lead to a total use of about 50 mg/kg biomass by the end of 2024. Assuming that the 50% reduction goal of 2020 is achieved, a further 15% reduction will be required in order to achieve a 65% reduction compared to 2011.
3. To bring the maximum use of colistin to 1 mg/kg biomass
In 2018, the use of colistin in Belgium amounted to 1,69 mg/kg, a reduction of 64,4% compared to 2011. In order to enable a further reduction and to meet the target of 1 mg/kg biomass by the end of 2024, the animal feed industry has committed to stop using colistin in medicated feed by the end of 2021 at the latest.
4. A 75% reduction in antibiotic enriched feeds compared to 2011
In order to achieve these objectives, 9 action pointes were also defined in the 2024 vision. Data collection and benchmarking remain important but in ‘Vision 2024’ AMCRA goes one step further. Veterinarians will have to provide usage data and they will also bee benchmarked. In case of excessive use, a plan for improvement will be drawn up. In addition, farmers and veterinarians will be coached individually and trained. Efforts will also be made to raise their awareness.
The main goal of ‘Vision 2020’ was to halve the use of feeds medicated with antibiotics by 2017. That goal has been achieved. The next phase now starts, in which AMCRA will try to achieve a 75% reduction of the use of antibiotic enriched feeds compared to 2011.