Antibiotic use in the Dutch agriculture sector has declined sharply in recent years, exceeding the objectives set by the government. Sales have shown a drop of 32% from 2009 to 2011.
The total sales of antibiotics in the Netherlands dropped nearly 32%, from 495 tonnes to 338 tonnes during the period 2009-2011, according to new data relating to the veterinary use of antibiotics published by LEI Wageningen UR.
This far exceeds the policy objective for 2011 set by the Dutch government, which was set at a 20% reduction in antibiotic use compared with 2009. Survey data on antibiotic use per animal species indicate a decrease in all five livestock sectors examined in 2011.
Trends in use per species
In 2011, all animal production sectors in the Netherlands showed a decrease in antibiotic use: