Learn what antibiotic resistance is and how to prevent it while increasing productivity among your livestock. Understand disease prevention and antibiotic use in livestock production. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an increasing problem worldwide and is a threat to the health of animals and humans. But there is still a need for a efficient livestock production, which requires healthy animals.
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In many countries, this has led to extensive and often inappropriate use of antibiotics, which may contribute to increasing antibiotic resistance.
On this course, you will learn how basic disease preventative measures in combination with sensible use of antibiotics can sustain or even increase the livestock production and limit the emergence of antibiotic resistance.
Syllabus
Week 1: Why is antimicrobial resistance (AMR) a problem?
Week 2: What can you do to prevent disease?
Week 3: How should you use antibiotics?
Week 4: Combining disease prevention and low use of antibiotics
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you'll be able to...
- Explain what antibiotics are and why antibiotic resistance develops on a basic level, and how antibiotic resistance affects animals and humans.
- Demonstrate understanding of the basics of infectious disease prevention.
- Identify simple measures that can be implemented on your farm, to reduce the need of antibiotics while sustaining (or increasing) livestock production.
- Explain when it is appropriate to use antibiotics and how to use them.
- Summarise how one can combine disease preventative measures and prudent use of antibiotics for productive and healthy animals on your farm.
- Reflect on what you and (other) livestock producers around the world think about the subject, and what differences and similarities there are.
Who is the course for?
This course is for livestock keepers and professionals working in the livestock production sector (such as veterinarians and advisors) in low-income countries and emerging economies worldwide. The course might also be of interest for agricultural authorities in those countries.
