"The Swedish experience" - a summary on the Swedish efforts towards a low and prudent use of antibiotics in animal production

In 1986, Sweden became the first country in the world to ban the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in food animal production. Today Sweden has the third lowest sales of veterinary antimicrobials for food-producing animals in Europe. In 2018, total sales of antibiotics for animal use in Sweden were 10 042 kg of active substance, as compared to 53.4 tonnes in 1984 (before the ban).

The low use of antibiotics in animals and the comparatively favourable situation in Sweden with regard to antibiotic resistance are the results of decades of cross-sectorial cooperation and work on disease prevention and animal health. This review is a brief summary of the Swedish work towards a low and prudent use of antibiotics, including figures on antibiotic use in Swedish production animals and a discussion of important success factors and lessons learned.