Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to develop a blueprint using financial documentation to
describe and quantify vaccine and antibiotic usage (ABU). This method was piloted
in a commercial pig farm in South Africa, with the ultimate hope to serve as a tool
in a future species-specific vaccine and ABU surveillance system. Data collection
was based on templates from the European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial
Consumption (ESVAC) network and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
Invoices from 2016 to 2018 were used as the main data source. In addition, monthly
statement of accounts were used to check for missing invoices. An inventory check
was done to ensure that the correct antibiotic concentrations were used in subsequent
calculations. Livestock counts and slaughter statistics were also collected to be used
as denominator data. Cost calculations for the procurement of antibiotics and vaccines
were also done. The study showed that veterinary medicinal products were purchased
only from a single veterinary practice. A total of 291 invoices were issued over 3 years,
of which 2.75% (8/291) were missing and could therefore not be used in quantification.
Tetracyclines (453.65 ± 25.49 kg and 135.16 ± 3.31 mg/kg), followed by quinoxalines
(258.33 ± 8.04 kg and 77.07 ± 3.93 mg/kg) were used in the highest amounts, both
in terms of weight (kg) and adjusted for animal biomass (mg/kg). Vaccines used on
the farm targeted seven different diseases, namely enzootic pneumonia, erysipelas,
ileitis, infectious infertility, leptospirosis, neonatal pig diarrhea and porcine circovirus
disease. An average of 103 546 vaccine dosages was purchased for ZAR1 302,727 ($ 84,6201
) per year, whereas the average cost for the procurement of antibiotics
was ZAR 907,372 ($ 69,561) per year. The study showed that invoices and monthly
statement of accounts, in combination with an inventory check and on-farm production
statistics, are useful data sources to quantify vaccine and ABU in the absence
of veterinary prescriptions. In addition, vaccinating pigs were more expensive than
administering antibiotics.
