Assessment of Antibiotic Usage in Some Selected Livestock Farms in Oyo State, Southwest, Nigeria.

A survey to assess the use of antibiotics was conducted in 120 livestock farms across the 4 agricultural zones of Oyo state, Nigeria. Data were collected through the use of structured questionnaires on respondents characteristics; educational status, usage, adherence to prescription and withdrawal periods and were analyzed through descriptive statistical tools. The results showed that 70.8% were male, with the highest age group in 31-40yrs. About 70.88% showed they have attended higher Institution with more of the farmers involved in poultry production. Only one respondent claim not to use antibiotics in his farm in the entire state and was excluded in other questions. Preventive use of antibiotics was 39.5% with oral route of administration as 40.3% as claimed by the farmers. About 97.5% and 93.1% claimed to read and administered the various antibiotics based on the instruction label respectively, while only 71.3% strictly adhere to it but the remaining 28.7% did not strictly adhere to it. Moreover, 85.4% of the farmers got to know about the expiry date through the manual label. Almost all the farmers (91.6%) were aware of the withdrawal periods but only 54.10% were always conscious of it. Only few (16.8%) of the farmers called the professionals to administer the drugs while majority of them (63.9%) administered it by themselves and others used their attendants or fellow farmers. However, the farmers in this state (92.5%) found the antibiotics used as either effective or highly effective. The abuse of these drugs cannot be ruled out therefore given the room for drug residue in meat from the state.Keywords: Antibiotics, preventive, therapeutic, growth promoters, route of administration, withdrawal periods