Steve DeBruin, DVM
Feeder Creek Veterinary Services
Millersport, OH
Summary of Main Points
A.) Antibiotic Resistance in Animals and Humans
i. One Health Conference hosted by The Ohio State University
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At the time of the conference, most of the research showed no connection between
antibiotic use in animals and resistance patterns within the human population.
If anything, human use of antibiotics was causing problems in animals. Humans had
about double the resistance patterns of animals.
As far as environmental concerns, almost all contamination is from human waste
systems.
B.) Feed-Grade Antibiotics
i. Livestock producers are required to have a veterinarian prescribe feed-grade antibiotics.
Effects:
 This law does not hurt larger producers, as their farms are visited by veterinarians
weekly or monthly.
 However, there are negative implications for smaller producers. They incur higher
costs because a.) The veterinarian is required to make a special trip and b.) The
expense is spread over a smaller number of animals, e.g. a herd of 12 cattle rather
than a herd of 100.
 Increased regulations drive small producers out of business.
 The costs of meeting standards are too great for many smaller farms, e.g.
spreading fertilizer and manure under the new “approved plans”. Marginal costs
for large farms are much lower as equipment costs are divided over many acres or
many animals.
 Bottom line: Large farms have the comparative advantage and can afford to stay in
business while smaller operations are forced out of the market.
C.) Buckeye Lake for Tomorrow
i.
Urgency for solutions is leading to unsound practices.
 Indeed, there are small amounts of data that seem to rebuke some of the “Old
Rules of Soils and Fertility”.
 Farming systems have changed greatly over the past 30 years. Tiling of fields
and no-tillage systems seem to have expedited the transfer of phosphorous into
our lakes, streams, and waterways.
 These are both considered to be management practices as they increase yields
and decrease soil erosion.
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We need more research trials.
Farmers are more than willing to help, they simply want assurance that their
time, money, and resources are being used effectively.