Meeting focuses on antimicrobials in livestock
Symposium gathers experts to focus on key challenges in antimicrobial use and resistance in livestock and aquaculture.
Experts have gathered for a symposium on antimicrobial resistance in livestock production in a One Health context.
The event, sponsored by the OECD's Co-operative Research Programme, focused on specific gaps in the understanding of antimicrobial use (AMU) in livestock systems and its consequences for antimicrobial resistance (AMR), approaching the problem from a One Health perspective.
The three-day meeting, at the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute and Roslin Institute, sought to highlight the need to understand the drivers and likely consequences of direct and indirect management of antimicrobial use (AMU) and AMR in the livestock sector, which could account for more than half the global use of antimicrobials.
Participants also considered evidence and methods to support international bodies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization, and governments seeking guidance to implement their AMR action plans.
Event programme
Participants sought to review current understanding of antimicrobial use across terrestrial livestock and aquaculture, as well as the effects on antimicrobial resistance.
They also looked to identify technical, economic, behavioural and political barriers to interventions to modify antimicrobial use.
Attendees also aimed to review modelling methods that allow the approximation of antimicrobial use and resistance and impacts of different interventions, and to set their knowledge in the broader One Health agenda of science policy communication and curriculum development.
In addition, symposium attendees considered priority policy interventions and strategies.
The event was opened with a welcome address from Professor Geoff Simm, Director of the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems, and an opening plenary given by Professor Julie Fitzpatrick, Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland.
Speakers included organisers Carys Redman-White and Professor Dominic Moran, and Dr João Gabriel Oliveira Marques, of the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems.
Attendees also heard from Dr Adrian Muwonge of the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute and from representatives from EPIC, the Scottish Government’s centre of expertise on animal health, which includes researchers from the Global Academy.
Related links
Presentations from the OECD-CRP AMR in Livestock Production in a One Health Context symposium
Professor Geoff Simm's welcome address
Presentation by Professor Dominic Moran
EPIC – Scotland's Centre of Expertise of Animal Disease Outbreaks