Naidoo, Vinny2022-01-122022-01-122021/04/162020*A2021http://hdl.handle.net/2263/83277Mini Dissertation (MSc (Veterinary Industrial Pharmacology))--University of Pretoria, 2020.Antimicrobial resistance is a global challenge that risks rendering currently available antimicrobial drugs ineffective. Antimicrobials are routinely used in feedlot systems as prophylactic, metaphylactic and therapeutic drugs. Feedlot cattle are an important source of animal protein in South Africa accounting for 75% to 90% of total beef production. Unfortunately, feedlot cattle derived beef is also potentially a public health hazard from the drugs used during farming. This study investigates the level of antimicrobial resistance in South African feedlots from samples (n=16 599) collected from infected weaner cattle in various feedlots in South Africa from 2002 to 2016 from the clinical records of a single veterinary practice. The susceptibility data was evaluated by means of descriptive statistics. The chi-square (χ2) test was undertaken to test for significant changes in antimicrobial resistance for the different variables and p-values < 0.05 were considered significant. Logistic regression was used to quantify the effect of different covariates on resistance giving odds ratios as effect measures. The results showed that resistance increased by 4.7% between 2002 and 2016. Gauteng had the highest cumulative resistance (27.1%), resistance was highest towards aminoglycosides (45.6%) and E. coli showed the highest (55.3%) resistance towards antimicrobials. The study raises concern as resistance was not only increasing but higher than data from other countries. To combat the increase in antimicrobial resistance will require a coordinated national programme that has a defined veterinary antimicrobial use policy, appropriate resistance monitoring programmes supported by relevant stakeholders; and the implementation of legislation limiting antimicrobial use.en© 2021 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.UCTDMini Dissertation