Livestock farmers have been asked to reduce the use of antibiotics on animals.
Director of Farm Services, Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology (FCAH&PT), Ibadan, Dr John Ajayi, gave the advice during his presentation at the 2024 Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Summit, organised by the FCAH&PT in conjunction with the Department of Animal Health Technology of the institution.
Speaking on the topic of the summit: ”Antimicrobial Resistance: Causes, Effects, and Prevention in the Environment, Animals And Humans”, Ajayi, noted that: ”My advice for livestock farmers is people who produce animals that we eat such as poultry products and other animal proteins.
“I want to advise them that they should raise their animals in such a way that will require minimal use of antibiotics. Because the more they use, the more they put the society at the risk of antimicrobial resistance.”
While suggesting alternatives for antibiotics, Ajayi, said: ”Most of the time, we use antibiotics or antimicrobials to treat animals when they are sick and sometimes livestock farmers use it as growth enhancer to ensure that the animals grow very well.
“So, in the light of this, there are alternatives such as probiotics, prebiotics, acidifiers, yeast and many other ones that can promote growth instead of antibiotics.
“Like I said, it is counterproductive when you are trying to improve an area and the measures you are taking is also causing damage in another area. I see the use of antibiotics as a counterproductive measure in livestock production except when it is seriously required, for instance when the animal is obviously sick and diagnosis has been made to ensure that this antibiotics is required, that is when I will advise that antibiotics should be use in animals.”
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune on the sidelines of the event, Provost, FCAH&PT, Dr Adekoya Owosibo, said: ”This week is Antimicrobial week and we see it as a point of duty to educate the general public, particularly livestock farmers about what antimicrobial resistance is all about.
“We know that a lot of approaches are expected to resolve the health problem that is in our society today. All over the world, a lot of people are consuming agricultural products, and animal products that have a lot of residues of antibiotics or antimicrobials and that seems to interface with human drugs when the need arises.
“Our college is science-based where we have human doctors, animal doctors, animal scientists, crop scientists and science laboratory technologists.
“So, this set of people are coming together to look at the best approach to educate the public and to inform them about the use of antibiotics and the need to avoid anitimicrobial resistance in human system.
Akanbi, while giving highlights of the event, said, the event began with a roadshow on Friday, 22nd November, 2024, where people in various communities were educated on antimicrobial resistance and the need for antimicrobial stewardship.
On Monday, November 5, 2024, the events continued with free medical screening for over 100 people. She informed that the screening was sponsored by Nikzar Medical Centre, Bode Igbo, Ibadan.
Speakers at the summit include: the Director, Clinical Documentation Integrity Department, Cedars-Sinai Hospital Systems, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles California, USA, Dr Olusegun Ajisefini; Medical Doctor, Medical Centre, FCAH&PT, Ibadan and Director, Farm Services, FCAH&PT, Ibadan.
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