Five facts: antibiotic consumption in Danish pig production

For many years, Denmark has been committed to use of antibiotics in livestock production. Antibiotics are used to treat sick animals, and in Denmark, antibiotics may only be prescribed by a veterinarian. Antibiotic use is carefully controlled and registered by VETSTAT. Statistics indicate that antibiotic use has declined over the past 20 years despite the fact that national pig production has increased. 

The following lists five pertinent facts about antibiotic use in Denmark.

Five facts about antibiotic use in Denmark:

1. VETSTAT – Database for registering the use of medicine, including the use of antibiotics for livestock in Denmark.
2. The 'Yellow Card' scheme from 2010 – control and limits on medication.
3. Antibiotic use in Danish livestock production is low within an international context.
4. Use of antibiotics in Danish pig production is declining
5. New EU antibiotic regulations – scope for interpretation.

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(1) Use of antibiotics is registered in VETSTAT

In Denmark, the use of antibiotics in livestock production, including pig production, is registered in VETSTAT. VETSTAT, which is administered by the Danish authorities, collects data for statistics on antibiotic use per species of animal, age group and diagnosis. The information in VETSTAT is used to supervise the use of antibiotics in Danish livestock production, including pig production.

(2) Yellow Card – Control and limits on medication

The 'Yellow Card' scheme was launched by the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration in 2010. A pig producer who is issued with a 'Yellow Card' must reduce his antibiotic consumption and may also be required to implement other restrictions to medication and production. Almost all farms that have been issued with a yellow card have been able to reduce their antibiotic use back below the threshold of the Yellow Card.

(3) Danish use of antibiotics in livestock production in an international perspective

The use of antibiotics in Danish livestock production is low seen from an international perspective. Critically important antibiotics for humans, such as cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones, are strictly limited in Danish livestock production.

Use of critically important antibiotic livestock in Europe is calculated according to data on the annual use of critically important antibiotics in livestock production in 2020. The chart is for total livestock. The comparability is limited, when those countries with lower pig production and higher beef/lamb production also are displayed in the chart of total livestock production. Source: ESVAC.

(4) Reduction in Danish antibiotic use in pig production

Over the past 20 years, antibiotic use in Danish pig production has been declining. Figures from 2021 show that the use of antibiotics has fallen while pig production has increased.

The above chart illustrates Danish developments from 2005-2021 in the use of antibiotics in pig production. N.B. the calculation of total pig production in 2021 has not yet been published. Source: DANMAP, the Danish Food & Veterinary Administration.

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(5) New EU medication regulations may have an impact on Danish antibiotic use

In early 2022, the EU launched new regulations for the use of veterinary medicinal products in livestock production. According to the EU regulation veterinary medicinal products must be used strictly in accordance with the marketing authorization. It means that veterinarians are no longer allowed to prescribe veterinary medicine in doses and periods shorter than those specified in the SPC. It is a big challenge as many antibiotics, where approved many years ago where antimicrobial resistance was not an issue and have not been updated since according to new scientific knowledge and practical experience. The new rules will challenge the Nordic way of use antibiotics in a responsible way, where we use as little as possible but as much as necessary to treat the animals.

This could result in an increase in the use of antibiotics in livestock production, which is not in line with the EU’s target for a reduction in overall European use of antibiotics. The Danish Agriculture & Food Council and the Danish Veterinary Association are putting pressure on the Danish national authorities to find legal room to allow for an interpretation in line with the Nordic way of using antibiotics in a responsible way. In Sweden and Finland an interpretation have been found by the national authorities that allow for the veterinarian to deviate from the marketing authorization to prevent resistance, ensure animal welfare and reduce the consumption.

For more than 20 years, Danish livestock producers, including pig producers, have worked determinedly to reduce the use of antibiotics and resistance. In 2021, total use of antibiotics in pig production was 52 per cent lower than in 1994. The reasons behind the success are a combination of Danish veterinary legislation, control and widespread agreement among Danish pig producers to use antibiotics in a responsible way and use as little as possible but as much as necessary to treat their animals.