Poizat Axelle

Abstract :

Reducing antibiotic use is one of the main levers to limit the increase of antimicrobial resistance, which threatens the effectiveness of the treatments of human and animal bacterial diseases. In dairy and young beef bull sectors, antibiotics are mainly used to control two production diseases, respectively mastitis and bovine respiratory diseases (BRD). The objective of the thesis was to identify with sectors’ stakeholders’ limitations for the improvement of antibiotic use practices, then to identify levers of action. In the young beef bulls’ sector, interviews with stakeholders and farmers showed that the organization of the value chain, because of its potential influence on BRD risk factors, was one of the main limitation identified.
However, the characteristics of farming systems and farmers’ skills were also a potential limitation. In the dairy sector, interviews have shown that farmers’ perceptions and knowledge seemed to be one of the major limitation to the improvement of the practices. The farming system seemed to have only limited influence. In young beef bulls sector, levers to improve coordination between stakeholders in the value chain have been identified. In dairy farming, an innovative training and advising program was evaluated as part of an intervention study, showing an improvement in the knowledge and perceptions of farmers regarding prevention measures and antibiotic use

Key words :

Value chain, Transaction costs, Information, Antibiotics, Cattle farming, Training