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According to Veterinary Medicines Directorate, during 2007 total sales of antibiotics decreased by 18 tonnes to 387 tonnes and again fell in 2008 to 384 tonnes. In 2009 total sales increased by 18 tonnes to 402 tonnes and increased by 45 tonnes to 447 tonnes in 2010. In 2011, net figures indicate sales have since decreased by 101 tonnes to total 346 tonnes.
In 2011 sales of antibiotic products for use in food-producing animals accounted for approximately 84% (290 tonnes) of the total annual sales of 346 tonnes which was comparable with previous years. However it is not possible to identify the proportion of the 290 tonnes which was administered to animals that did not enter the food chain.
Overall the sales of veterinary antibiotic products for use in food-producing animals showed a decrease in 2011, from the 2010 sales. There was variation in sales of veterinary antibiotic in 2011 for some of the individual food-producing species e.g. pig and poultry products decreased by 90 tonnes, pig only products increased by 15 tonnes and poultry only products decreased by 27 tonnes in 2011 compared to 2010. Sales of cattle only products in 2011 increased by 1 ton, whilst other species specific products and multispecies product sales revealed little change compared to 2010 sales figures.
By antibiotic class, between 2006 and 2011 more tetracyclines (32% in 2011) were sold than any other class. In 2011, fluoroquinolone sales accounted for 2 tonnes (less than 1% of the total) and 54% of veterinary antibiotic products for food-producing animals only were sold for use as medicated feedingstuff, most of which are sold for use in pig and poultry farming.
September 2012/ VMD/ United Kingdom.
http://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk
