The use of antibiotics on farm animals and pets fell overall in 2019 in France, but this decline is likely to stagnate in the years to come, unless certain animal husbandry practices are radically changed, warned on Wednesday. the French Food and Health Safety Agency (Anses).
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After having paused in 2018 in the sharp decline that began in the early 2010s, “the overall exposure of animals fell by 10.9% between 2018 and 2019”, according to an annual sales report from ANSES. of antibiotics, released Wednesday.
“Compared to 2011, there has been a 45.3% drop in the pressure of antibiotic treatments, with a steady decrease,” said Jean-Pierre Orand, director of the ANMV (National Agency for Veterinary Medicines), when presenting this report.
Between 2018 and 2019, exposure fell sharply for cattle (-9.9%), pigs (-16.4%), and poultry (-12.8%), the three most common families. consumers in tonnage.
On the other hand, rabbits (+ 1.5%) and domestic carnivores, mainly dogs and cats (+ 2.1%), saw their exposure increase slightly.
"At this stage, it is not significant, but it deserves more careful monitoring, to see if over time we are on a plateau phase or if, on the contrary, we are returning to a growth phase", commented Mr. Orand.
Fight against antibiotic resistance
France launched in 2012 a first five-year government plan to reduce the use of antibiotics in animal health, whether for farms or pets.
This EcoAntibio plan was relaunched for an additional five years, until 2021.
Through this, the authorities intend to fight against antibiotic resistance, "a major global public health challenge", as recalled by the Ministry of Agriculture.
"The loss of effectiveness of antibiotics impacts human health, animal health and that of ecosystems, these health being interconnected and forming a whole", indicates the ministry on its site.
According to a report from the European Agency for the Monitoring of Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) published in the autumn, these efforts allow France to be among the good European students: it thus ranks in 14th position, but with a result significantly lower than the European average.