Global livestock antibiotic use falls, but trade shifts the problem abroad

After decades of growth, the use of antimicrobials—including antibiotics—in livestock peaked in 2013 and then dropped by nearly a third by 2020, finds a major new study led by UCL researchers. The decline is positive, as overusing antimicrobials in animals can create drug-resistant bacteria, which can lead to human harm. However, despite this trend, the study also found that richer developed countries continue to drive demand for antimicrobial-heavy products by importing large quantities of foods and products from emerging economies that still use farms with high-levels of antimicrobials.