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Relationship of biosecuriy practices with the use of antibiotics for the treatment of infectious disease on U.S. equine operations.
Abstract: This study is the first report estimating, on a national basis, the use of various biosecurity practices, singly and in combination, on U.S. equine operations. Use of biosecurity practices is described for operations by risk level, based on reported exposure of resident horses to outside horses during the previous 12 months. In addition, the association between use of various biosecurity practices and use of antibiotics to treat infectious disease in both adult equids and foals is reported. The comparison of these study findings with previously reported data in the literature is limited by the fact that few estimates of biosecurity practice use on equine operations have been reported and none has been published on a national basis beyond those in the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) equine reports. A total of 78.5% of operations had some risk of exposure of resident horses to outside horses between summer 2004 and the time of the interview in summer 2005. For the majority of biosecurity practices, there was a significant (p<0.05) difference between different exposure risk levels in the percentage of operations using the practice. A higher percentage of high- and medium-risk operations implemented a combination of 4 or more biosecurity practices compared to low-risk operations. There was less use of antibiotics to treat infectious disease in adult horses on operations that required those who visit the operation to use separate equipment, change clothes/overalls, disinfect boots and equipment, or park vehicles away from animals than on those that did not. None of the other biosecurity practices were associated with use of antibiotics in adult horses and none of the biosecurity practices included in this study was associated with use of antibiotics in foals. For adults the use of antibiotics for infectious disease increased with decreasing herd size; this trend was reversed for antibiotic use in foals. The effect of exposure risk level was different for adults and foals. For adults, antibiotic use was lower for operations at higher risk; for foals, antibiotic use was higher for operations at higher risk.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2011-10-28 PubMed ID: 22037392DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2011.10.003Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
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This research explores the linkage between the implementation of biosecurity practices in US equine operations and the use of antibiotics to treat infectious diseases in horses. The study also analyzes the risk level of exposure of resident horses to outside horses in the previous 12 months and its cumulative impact on the application of biosecurity practices and antibiotic use.
Objective of the Research
- The main purpose of this study is to estimate the adoption of various biosecurity practices in the US equine industry and how it influences the use of antibiotics in treating infectious diseases in horses and foals.
- Another crucial objective is to examine the exposure risk of resident horses to outside horses and its effect on the application of biosecurity measures and antibiotic use.
Findings of the Research
- Most operations (78.5%) had chances of exposure of resident horses to external horses between summer 2004 and summer 2005.
- There was a noticeable disparity in the application of biosecurity practices among operations subject to different exposure risk levels.
- Operations with high and medium risk levels implemented a combination of four or more biosecurity practices more frequently than those with low-risk levels.
- Operations that mandated visitors to change clothes, disinfect their boots and equipment, use separate gear, or park their vehicles away from animals recorded less usage of antibiotics for treating infectious diseases in adult horses.
- None of the other biosecurity practices influenced the usage of antibiotics in adult horses, and no biosecurity practice included in the study affected the antibiotic usage in foals.
- Interestingly, smaller herds of adult horses were subjected to increased antibiotic usage, while a reverse trend was noticed in foals.
- The exposure risk level had different impacts on adults and foals. For adult horses, higher risk operations recorded lower antibiotic use, whereas for foals, higher risk operations saw greater antibiotic use.
Implications of the Research
- The research vitalizes the importance and effectiveness of implementing stringent biosecurity measures in curbing the need for antibiotic usage in treating infectious diseases in horses, particularly those in regular contact with outside horses.
- The study suggests that concentrating on smaller herds, encouraging the use of biosecurity practices, and developing sound health care routines may help reduce the amount of antibiotics used for treating infectious diseases.
Cite This Article
APA
Traub-Dargatz J, Kopral C, Wagner B.
(2011).
Relationship of biosecuriy practices with the use of antibiotics for the treatment of infectious disease on U.S. equine operations.
Prev Vet Med, 104(1-2), 107-113.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2011.10.003 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Colorado State University, Animal Population Health Institute, Diagnostic Medical Center, 300 W. Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. Josie.Traub-Dargatz@colostate.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animal Husbandry
- Animals
- Anti-Infective Agents / administration & dosage
- Anti-Infective Agents / therapeutic use
- Containment of Biohazards / veterinary
- Disease Outbreaks / prevention & control
- Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horse Diseases / prevention & control
- Horses
- Risk Factors
- Security Measures
- United States / epidemiology
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Isomura R, Matsuda M, Sugiura K. An epidemiological analysis of the level of biosecurity and animal welfare on pig farms in Japan and their effect on the use of veterinary antimicrobials. J Vet Med Sci 2018 Dec 11;80(12):1853-1860.
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