They call it the “Danish Experiment” – a source of pride for the country’s 17,000 farmers. Farmers in Denmark use antibiotics sparingly, only when animals are sick.
The experiment to stop widespread use of antibiotics was launched 12 years ago, when European studies showed a link between animals who were consuming antibiotic feed everyday and people developing antibiotic resistant infections from handling or eating that meat.
Since the ban, the Danish pork industry has grown by 43 percent – making it one of the top exporters of pork in the world. All of Europe followed suit in 2006. But the American Pork Industry doesn’t want to.
After the ban, a Danish study confirmed that removing antibiotics from farms drastically reduced antibiotic-resistant bacteria in animals and food. Danish scientists believe if the U.S. doesn’t stop pumping its farm animals with antibiotics, drug-resistant diseases in people will only spread.
[Source]
Chapter: Animals & Insects,Antibiotics :: 7 April 2010
