It's clear that when the new veterinary medicine regulations come into effect, pig farmers are going to have a better approach to medicine use, director of ANPROGAPOR [Spanish Pig Farmers Association] and vice-chair of the Copa-Cogeca pigmeat working party Miguel Higuera has said.

The comments came during the second session of the Irish Pig Health Society virtual symposium series 2021, which highlighted various practices for improving pig health and welfare.

Higuera said the new regulations will bring positive features and other complicated aspects.

New categories

“There will be new categories of antimicrobials and antibiotics, which will be separated into A, B, C and D," he said.

“The A cannot be used in veterinary medicine and the others are graduated, so we’re going to have to make more use of the others.

“The key factor for the farmers is that you’re going to have to take a lot of samples and keep a very good record of the bacteria you have on your farm and the sensitivity of the antibiotics used.”

More precision

Higuera said it will be positive to ask for more responsibility around veterinary medicine use in all EU countries and across all species.

“There are going to be more controls around the import and export of veterinary products within the European Union.

“For the farmer and the vet, it is going to lead to more precision,” Higuera continued.

“Application will be more accurate and we are going to have very good diagnostics.

“The competent authorities are going to ask why you are using these antibiotics, you will have a laboratory test to prove it.”