Antimicrobial Resistance: Risk for the Beef Industry

Antibiotics have long been relied on to treat various diseases, but the growing issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is challenging our reliance on these drugs. When cattle are sick, we often use antibiotics, a form of antimicrobial treatment, but AMR is challenging this. Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria are not killed by previously effective drugs. This is a global risk as we are such an interconnected world. If drugs are ineffective, not only are we not able to help sick animals, but this also leads to creating superbugs that are considered zoonotic diseases or transferable between species. This has led the Canadian government to make the Pan Canadian Action Plan to try to reduce the rapidly rising rate of AMR throughout all fields of health, including the cattle sector. 

How do Antibiotics work? 

When we use antibiotics, we are using them to slow or stop bacterial infections. Antimicrobials inhibit cell wall synthesis, protein synthesis, and nucleic acid production and alter cell membrane properties. The issue is that AMR bacteria escape this through gene mutations, which bacteria efficiently do, making it very difficult to control them from spreading. Gene mutations occur naturally, and although they can sometimes be used to our advantage when they happen out of control, they can be nearly impossible to stop.

Why use Antibiotics?

The question is why it is essential to treat sick animals. Some people say that you can rear animals without the use of antimicrobials, but this is BS. No matter what measures you put in place, animals will get sick. There are three main concerns regarding sick animals: animal welfare, economic, and zoonotic (Orsel, Pajor, van der Meer, & Thompson, 2023).

When we do not treat a sick animal, not only are we putting them at risk of death, but we are also reducing their welfare, as treatment is essential to increase welfare.  Diseases like bovine respiratory disease (BRD) are known to reduce animal welfare and are caused by high stress, often from changes in conditions like traveling and weather changes. Its symptoms include cough, shallow breathing, fever, and depression, directly affecting their quality of life. This is why treatment is needed to prioritize animals’ welfare and ensure that we prevent the risk of death, leading to financial losses.  

When animals get sick, it causes us an economic loss as ranchers. Diseases like BRD cost between 23-151 CAD per animal and are also known to reduce average daily gain.  This highlights the importance of antibiotics as the economy is affected by diseases that can be treated with them. This also significantly impacts the economy because we export most of our cattle to other countries, which increases disease transmission through traveling, so there is economic pressure for antimicrobial use.

Diseases can be transmitted to one another during transport. This can lead to zoonotic and foodborne diseases because when they go untreated, they will spread and often be transmitted to humans, especially diseases like E. coli. According to Cameron & McAllister, slaughter practices can reduce transmission and help avoid AMR of this disease, but this will not be effective for many others.

Treating sick animals is essential for welfare, economic stability, and preventing zoonotic diseases. However, the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has raised concerns about antibiotic overuse in agriculture, as it can make infections more challenging to treat and threaten public health. To address these concerns, we must adopt responsible antibiotic practices and invest in alternatives like vaccinations and better animal care. We also should ensure transparent communication to show that these issues are being taken seriously. Until other options are developed, such changes are critical to combating AMR.

What is Being Done? 

The Canadian government is currently acting through the Pan-Canadian Action Plan on AMR. This action plan has been encouraging research at universities through the pull incentives being put in place, according to the Year One Report.  Pull incentives are mechanisms designed to reward successful innovation, such as grants, subsidies, or market guarantees that make it financially viable for researchers and organizations to develop solutions to complex problems like AMR. For stewardship, quite a few resources are trying to help, like the FAAST initiative, which is getting information out there to teach producers about AMR. These initiatives educate farmers on working with vets to advance their biosecurity and effective record-keeping to prevent over-treating livestock. 

What Needs to Be Done?  

This is a global issue that demands immediate attention from the government. While significant efforts are being made, some areas need improvement. For instance, the proposed plan to have vets prescribe medication per animal is impractical for many ranchers, as the limited availability of vets makes it challenging to manage every sick animal this way. Ranchers have no desire to over-medicate their animals. They understand the importance of proper treatment and avoiding medication overuse to ensure the health of their livestock and the broader ecosystem. This increases the risk of animal death and places undue strain on ranchers. 

Additionally, the plan lacks specificity, especially considering the varying needs of different provinces. For example, provinces with more densely populated areas, such as Ontario or Quebec, often have better access to veterinary services, making the policy more manageable in these regions. In contrast, provinces with larger rural or remote areas, such as Saskatchewan or Alberta, face significant logistical challenges. Ranchers in these regions often operate in isolated areas where the nearest vet may be hours away. This disparity highlights the need for tailored policies considering regional variations in veterinary infrastructure and accessibility.

A more targeted approach, with province-specific incentives, would ensure that ranchers and farmers are supported while we address this national issue. Though much work remains, we must recognize the importance of this challenge and tackle it effectively to benefit agriculture and public health.