Antibiotic use in livestock farming in the Netherlands decreased again in 2025. Since 2009, the sales of antibiotics intended for animals have fallen by 77,2%, according to data reported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN).
The Dutch authorities emphasize that the reduction achieved over the past 15 years is the result of efforts made by the various livestock sectors and veterinarians. The aim is to limit the unnecessary or incorrect use of these medicines in order to reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance emerging. According to the Ministry, alongside the decrease in consumption, there has also been a reduction in antibiotic resistance in animals.
In the calf sector, average antibiotic consumption has remained stable for several years, and the number of farms with high usage has not decreased either. For this reason, the authorities and the sector have agreed that the number of calf farms with high antibiotic consumption will be reduced by 50% in 2032 compared with 2026. This commitment adds to the target that the sector itself had already set of achieving a 50% reduction in 2032 compared with 2022.
The trend was different for broiler chickens. In 2025, antibiotic use increased by almost 25% compared with 2024, after the sector had managed to reduce it by 80% since 2011. In recent years, consumption seemed to have stabilized.
In response to this increase, the poultry sector is analyzing its causes and the possible measures that farmers and veterinarians can take to reduce consumption again. The Dutch authorities continue to prioritize reducing antibiotic use in animal production to help limit resistance and protect both animal and human health.
7 September 2026 / Rijksoverheid / the Netherlands.
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl