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Agriculture

Antibiotics Misuse in Pig Farming Raises Global Health Concerns

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Research conducted in Nigeria highlights the urgent need for antimicrobial stewardship and improved veterinary education to mitigate the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis affecting human and animal health. The study, published in the BMC Veterinary Research, found widespread antibiotic use among pig farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria, with 90% of farmers administering antibiotics, often without proper prescription or monitoring. This misuse contributes significantly to the global AMR burden, underscoring the necessity for targeted interventions to support sustainable livestock production and AMR mitigation.

Key Takeaways:

  • 67.5% of pig farmers in the FCT are male-dominated, with the majority (52.5%) aged 41-60 years and holding only primary education.
  • Antibiotic use is widespread, with 90% of farmers administering antibiotics, and oxytetracycline, penicillin, and amoxicillin being the most commonly used.
  • Self-administration of antibiotics is common among pig farmers, with 72.5% of farmers using antibiotics without proper prescription or monitoring.
  • There is a significant association between antibiotic administration and frequency of use, as well as between ethnoveterinary medicine use and education level.
  • Local pig breeds exhibit higher antibiotic use, emphasizing the need for improved veterinary education and standardized ethnoveterinary medicine integration.
  • The study highlights the urgent need for antimicrobial stewardship and improved veterinary education to support sustainable livestock production and AMR mitigation.

Statistics:

  • 90% of pig farmers in the FCT administer antibiotics, often without proper prescription or monitoring.
  • 72.5% of farmers engage in self-administration of antibiotics.
  • 52.5% of farmers are aged 41-60 years and hold only primary education.
  • Oxytetracycline, penicillin, and amoxicillin are the most commonly used antibiotics among pig farmers.
  • Local pig breeds exhibit higher antibiotic use, with 11.11% of farms using antibiotics significantly more often (ch = 11.11, df = 2, p = 0.00).

Sources:

  • NewsRx. University of Abuja Reports Findings in Pig Farms (Antibiotics use and ethnoveterinary practices in pig farming: an insight from federal capital territory, Nigeria). Veterinary Week. July 14, 2025; p 792.
  • Antibiotics use and ethnoveterinary practices in pig farming: an insight from federal capital territory, Nigeria. BMC Veterinary Research, 2025;21(1):418.
  • BMC Veterinary Research can be contacted at: Bmc, Campus, 4 Crinan St, London N1 9XW, England. (BioMed Central - www.biomedcentral.com/; BMC Veterinary Research - www.biomedcentral.com/bmcvetres/)

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