Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • July 2025
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. July 2025
    2. June 2025
    3. 2025 Innovation supplement
    4. May 2025
    5. April 2025
    6. March 2025
    7. 2025 Buildings supplement
    8. February 2025
    9. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    10. January 2025
    11. December 2024
    12. November 2024
    13. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    14. October 2024
    15. September 2024
    16. August 2024
    17. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    18. July 2024
    19. June 2024
    20. 2024 Innovation supplement
    21. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    22. May 2024
    23. April 2024
    24. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    25. March 2024
    26. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    27. February 2024
    28. January 2024
    29. December 2023
    30. November 2023
    31. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    32. October 2023
    33. September 2023
    34. Health Supplement
    Featured

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025
    Recent

    July 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    July 6, 2025

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025

    2025 Innovation supplement now available

    June 4, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Comment

A foundation of good health is crucial to reduce antibiotic use

Guest WritersBy Guest WritersOctober 5, 20173 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

The latest leg of my Nuffield Scholarship travels has enabled me to focus on researching my topic: ‘Antibiotic use in pig production – is there a need for systemic change?’

Dr Georgina Crayford is a Nuffield Scholar and the NPA’s senior policy adviser, with responsibility for health and welfare policy and Young NPA

Given that Nordic countries are often hailed as being a haven of low antibiotic use, I thought I would start my research there. So I spent two weeks in August visiting farms, vets and industry organisations in Finland, Sweden and Denmark.

In 2014, sales of antibiotics for use in food-producing animals in the UK amounted to 62.1 mg/PCU (population correction unit), while sales for the same period were lower in Finland (22.3mg/PCU), Sweden (11.5mg/PCU) and Denmark (44.2mg/PCU).

While premix accounts for the majority of antibiotics sales in the UK, in Finland and Sweden they are mostly delivered by injection. So, how are pig producers in these countries able to use fewer antibiotics? Most obviously, pigs in all three countries benefit from a foundation of good health.

Sweden and Finland enjoyed closed borders until they joined the EU in 1995, at which point schemes were put in place to establish import restrictions. Both are now free of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv), while Salmonella has been eradicated. Swine dysentery has been virtually eliminated in Finland and they also successfully eradicated enzootic pneumonia.

The backbone of Danish pig production is the SPF (Specific Pathogen Free) herd classification system, which involves regular testing for diseases and full transparency of the health status of Danish farms.
While only 22% of Danish herds have achieved the highest health status (free from EP, APP, swine dysentery, mange mite, lice, PRRSv and toxigenic Pasteurella multocida) more than two-thirds are classified as SPF and most new herds are stocked with SPF pigs.

With a third of Danish pig production exported as weaners, it’s in their interests to pursue and maintain high health as they can command a premium for it.

I had the pleasure of visiting a pig farm in the southern tip of Sweden, breeding 2,000 sows, averaging 33 pigs/sow/year, and marketing 55,000 30kg weaners a year. When I asked what the main reason was for their low antibiotic use, the farmer said it was down to having healthy sows, with good milk production, resulting in healthy piglets. Good climatic control of buildings, and being in a region with very few pig farms nearby were also important.

Managing disease is easier when key pathogens have been eradicated. The UK pig sector continues to battle on with endemic disease challenges and I think more support from Government and further up the supply chain will be needed to help improve the health status of the national herd.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleHow to avoid making a pig’s ear of Brexit
Next Article Current optimism means producers can fix the roof while the sun shines
Guest Writers

Read Similar Stories

Comment: British pork reimagined: Data-led marketing for a changing consumer

July 9, 2025

Comment: Market recovery, export growth and on-farm innovation

July 7, 2025

Comment: Encouraging signs as big pig issues discussed in parliament

July 4, 2025
Latest News

GB pig prices for week ending July 5, 2025 – SPP bounces back to reach year high

July 9, 2025

Nutrient Action Programme could destroy NI pig sector, UFU warns

July 9, 2025

Comment: British pork reimagined: Data-led marketing for a changing consumer

July 9, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1759 North Yorkshire

    • North Yorkshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1758 Norfolk

    • Norfolk
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Experienced Pig Stockperson – Ref 1757 South East England

    • South East England
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Weekly Tribune
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.