Dietary strategies as one of the pillars to reduce antibiotic use in swine

The Dutch government and various stakeholders in the industry set a joint target to reduce prophylactic and therapeutic antibiotic use by 70% in 2015 compared to the reference year 2009. The use of anti-microbial growth promoters was already banned in the European Union in 2006. Various biosecurity measures and specific vaccination programs were implemented in the last decade to reduce the risk of animals being exposed to pathogens and to raise the level of disease reistence. These strategies were complemented with dietary measures to improve hygiene of feed and water and to support homeostasis and stability in the gastrointestinal tract contributing to disease resistance and resilience. The Netherlands succeeded in reducing antibiotic use by 58% in swine production in 2015 compared to 2009. Although the target of 70% was not completely reached, it is encouraging that the reduced use of antibiotics resulted in a reduction in anti-microbial resistance (MARAN, 2015)