American farmers used 4.9 times more antibiotics in 2016 than farmers in the United Kingdom, according to a study conducted by the Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics.
For the study, ASOA compared data on 2016 antibiotic use in livestock compiled by the FDA and the U.K.'s Veterinary Medicines Directorate.
When compared to farmers in the U.K., American farmers. used antibiotics at a rate 9 to 16 times higher in cattle, 5.5 times higher in turkey, 3 times higher in chickens and nearly twice as high in pigs.
"We should note that one reason for the fivefold difference in overall farm antibiotic use between the two countries is that the U.K. has many more sheep than the U.S., and sheep are low users of antibiotics," wrote the study's authors. "Nevertheless, as we have seen in this document, large differences also exist in each animal species, particularly cattle."
To read the full report, click here.
More articles on infection control:
Report: Fewer than a third of adolescents receive HPV vaccine by 13
14 worms removed from woman's eye — CDC identifies infection with parasite previously unseen in humans
For the 1st time in 9 years Washington hospital screens visitors for flu