The eMB now captures data from more than 94% of UK pig production.
According to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) the results show the scale of long-term change that has taken place across the sector.
The problem of antimicrobial resistance around the globe has been something that has been a major issue not just in pigs.
In the UK over the past 10 years, producers and vets have shifted focus towards improving herd health, tightening biosecurity and refining management practices so that antibiotics are needed less often.
Mandy Nevel, Head of Animal Health and Welfare at AHDB, said the data has shown a “significant achievement” and praised the industry for working together to achieve this.
“This hasn’t been about removing treatment where it is needed. It has been about improving herd health and management so that the need for antibiotics is reduced in the first place,” she said.
“The latest results show that responsible antibiotic use and high standards of pig health and welfare go hand-in-hand and maintaining that balance will remain a priority.”
AHDB said that while the pace of reduction has naturally slowed, antibiotic use is still necessary to protect animal welfare and the goal should never be zero use.
It said that looking ahead the challenge will be about sustaining good animal health along with responsible antibiotic use as the norm.
AHDB said that the withdrawal of zinc oxide in 2022, widely used to manage post-weaning diarrhoea, raised concerns that antibiotic use could rise again. It confirmed that while there was a small short-term increase, usage never returned to previous levels and has since fallen again.
This information comes as it was revealed that overuse of antibiotics in European farming has been fuelling a resistance crisis with reduction efforts stalling.
