Assigning Defined Daily/Course Doses for Antimicrobials in Turkeys to Enable a Cross-Country Quantification and Comparison of Antimicrobial Use

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens our public health and is mainly driven by antimicrobial usage (AMU). For this reason the World Health Organization calls for detailed monitoring of AMU over all animal sectors involved. Therefore, we aimed to quantify on turkey farms. First, turkey-specific Defined Daily Dose (DDDturkey) was determined. These were compared broiler alternative from European Surveillance Veterinary Consumption (DDDvet), that mention DDDvet as a proxy other poultry species. DDDturkey ranged being 81.5% smaller 48.5% larger its broilers. Second, treatments registered 60 farms divided France, Germany Spain between 2014 2016 (20 flocks per country). Afterwards, quantified using treatment incidence (TI) 100 days. TI expresses percentage rearing period turkeys treated with standard dose antimicrobials. Minimum, median maximum at flock level based = 0.0, 10.0 65.7, respectively. Yet, huge variation in amounts antimicrobials used observed, both within countries. Seven (12%) did not use any Aminopenicillins, polymyxins, fluoroquinolones responsible 72.2% total AMU. The proportion treating peaked week five production cycle (41.7%), 79.4% administered first half production. To conclude, values broilers can be applied turkeys. Additionally, results show potential reducing improving farms, especially concerning critically important