23.04.2016

The British Poultry Council (BPC) Antibiotic Stewardship Scheme has compiled this report to demonstrate its strategy for the responsible use of antibiotics in the UK poultry meat sector.The UK poultry meat sector, through the formation of the Antibiotic Stewardship Scheme in 2011, has taken decisive action to manage antibiotic usage across the sector. In 2012, it introduced a voluntary ban on the use of third and fourth generation cephalosporins, and a commitment to reduce the use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics. In 2016, the Scheme made a further commitment to not use colistin. The Scheme places intense focus on those classes of antibiotics considered to be of ‘most highly critical importance’ for human health by the World Health Organisation (WHO); use of these antibiotics is only permitted if they are considered by a veterinary surgeon to be the sole therapeutic option to alleviate bird pain and suffering. Over the period 2012-2015, production increased by 5%, with UK poultry meat accounting for 44% of total UK meat production. The total antibiotics used in the same period by Scheme members decreased by 44%.