Growing Forward 2 - Final Report | Page 18

USE OF ANTIBIOTICS IN FOOD-PRODUCING ANIMALS IN ONTARIO The development of antibiotic agents has revolutionized animal care. While antibiotics have a primary and vital role in the therapy of infectious diseases, antibiotics have been used at sub-therapeutic doses in livestock to promote growth, increase feed efficiency and prevent disease. The use of sub-therapeutic antibiotics also allows animals to be housed at high densities by reducing the spread of disease. Sub-therapeutic use of antimicrobials increases feed efficiency, which allows animals to achieve market weight more quickly. The attitudes and actions of Ontario veterinarians related to antibiotic use in food-producing animals are not well documented. As such, aspects of the CVO Survey were designed to gather information about the use of antibiotics in food-producing animals in Ontario. Approximately 68% of respondents to the CVO Survey were involved with dairy cattle, 42% with beef cattle, 28% with sheep/go