Reasons for antimicrobial use in feed among U.S. pig farms in 2016, by age
Antimicrobial usage in farming facilities has come under fire in recent years due to the possibility that antimicrobial resistance in farm animals could spread to human populations. In 2017, the USDA pledged 11 million U.S. dollars to fund research to mitigate antimicrobial resistance. As of 2016, approximately 60.4 percent of nursery-age pigs and 35.2 percent of grower/finisher-age pigs were given antimicrobials to treat respiratory disease.
