Are cows given antibiotics?

Moo there, my fellow bovine enthusiasts! As a proud member of the herd, I’ve been asked many times if we are being fed some suspicious stuff that might be bad for our health. Well, let me tell you something: Yes, we are getting some drugs to keep us healthy and happy. But fret not, dear reader, because in this article I will provide you with all the answers regarding the use of antibiotics in cows.

Why do farmers give antibiotics to their cows?

First things first: why do our caretakers feel like they need to pump us with medication? The answer is simple (like most things when it comes to us farm animals): disease prevention.

You see folks, as much as we love nibbling on green pastures and chewing our cuds all day long while providing sweet milk for humans (and earning them oodles of cash too!), living at such close quarters can lead to nasty infections spreading quickly within herds.

Thus, using antibiotics has become a common practice by many farmers who want to prevent diseases from infecting their beloved beasts of burden (that’s us!).

Is it safe for humans if cows get antibiotics?

The short answer is yes… but also no. Bear with me here!

While we may look like sturdy creatures capable of taking any meds thrown our way without harm – after all, have you ever seen an ill cow walking around feeling sorry for herself? -, the truth is that overuse or improper usage of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance in both humans and animals alike.

What does antibiotic resistance mean?

Don’t worry if you’re unfamiliar with medical terms! As someone who spends most days either grazing or sleeping under a tree (#Blessed), even I know what this means:

Antibiotic resistance refers to bacteria becoming immune/ resistant against certain antibiotics that were previously effective in treating infections.

The more antibiotics are used, the more chances there are for some bacteria to develop a stronger immunity and thus making it harder to fight later on.

This is why we cows need our caretakers (and farmers worldwide) to be responsible when administering drugs – improper dosage or misuse can cause us harm, along with possibly contributing towards antibiotic resistance in humans.

What do cows get treated for?

So now you might be thinking: “Okay cow, I get it. Antibiotics can help but also hurt both of us. But what diseases are these drugs preventing?”

Glad you asked! Here’s a list of common ailments we bovines face that prompt the use of antibiotics:

  • Mastitis
  • Pneumonia
  • Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex (BRD)
  • Foot rot
  • Pinkeye

Let me explain each one:

Mastitis:

As much as I love to keep milk flowing from my udders and make dairy lovers happy worldwide, sometimes even I might fall victim to an infection within my mammary gland causing inflammation and pain while milking. It hurts just thinking about it!

Luckily for us (well, most of the time), our beloved farmers provide medication like antimicrobials so that disease-causing organisms don’t grow inside our bodies and affect milk production.

Pneumonia:

I’m blessed not having caught pneumonia myself because those who have say it feels like breathing through molasses mixed with hot pepper sauce… Yukk!

Sometimes things beyond human control happen; environmental factors such as intake air quality changes or seasonal temperature shifts may allow pneumonia-causing germs breeds into large numbers among cattle population causing respiratory distresses.
Farmers provide treatment plans including antibacterials if their farm animals suffer from any illness caused by resource management issues.

BRDC:

I know..Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex sounds incredibly intimidating but it’s just one of various diseases common in cattle.

It usually shows symptoms such as fever, coughing and depression. Although several factors may contribute to BRDC, the primary reason is pathogens spreading via animals’ respiratory systems due to environmental changes or transportational stressors.
As always, antibiotics play an important role to fight off initial symptoms preventing further damage
to our sensitive respiratory systems.

Foot rot:

Oh, foot rot…I shudder every time I hear these ominous words whispered among us cattle! This disease infects the soft tissue between
the claws on our hooves making walking painful (as if those milking machines weren’t enough torture already).

You guessed it though: treatment includes antibiotics, along with good hygiene in barns so that bacteria causing infection from manure are kept at bay.

Pinkeye:

Finally, there’s pinkeye – a bacterial eye inflammation commonly spread during fly season.
Because who doesn’t love being buzzed by lots of insects?

Although highly contagious and annoyingly uncomfortable for muscle-coordinated creatures like ourselves,
good old antibiotics help keep eye infections producing bacterial growth manageable.

So how do farmers prevent antibiotic-resistant bugs from developing?

This stuff might sound scary but don’t worry folks- The National Institute for Animal Agriculture (NIAA) here in America has developed Antibiotic Stewardship Guidelines suggesting ways in which both livestock producers and veterinarians can take necessary precautions when using antibiotics 1.

Some conscious steps taken by our lovely caretakers include things like:

  • Proper diagnosis before medication
  • Appropriate dosage based on herd size/individual need
  • Keeping records regarding drugs given per animal type/dosage/duration/date#
    • Not allowing antibiotics into human food supply chain—HINT HINT TACO BELL ¯\(ツ)

Conclusion

Well, I really hope this article – written by someone who’s halfway between two worlds (cow and computer) – hopefully answered any concerns or questions you might have had regarding the necessity to provide cattle with antibiotics. Yes, overuse of drugs can lead to some nasty consequences but in moderation and under proper veterinarian supervision we–along with human proponents—are kept healthy without spreading infections.

And let me tell ya folks… there’s nothing like a healthy herd of cows mooing while soaking up the sun on a bright summer day!

Stay well!

Table:
| Diseases | Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Mastitis | Antimicrobials |
| Pneumonia | Antibacterials for symptoms and infection prevention|
| Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex (BRDC) | Antibiotics preventing germs from running rampant |
| Foot rot |Antibacterial medicine combined with good hygiene in barns|
| Pinkeye | The same bacteria fighting antibiotics as others! Yippee!


  1. https://www.beefmagazine.com/beef-quality/producers-heed-ioava-s-5-new-antibiotic-stewardship-guidelines 

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