11 Mar 2026
Vaccination push comes amid contrasting figures on oral antibiotic usage in calves.
Chris Simpson
Job Title
MSD Animal Health vet Kat Baxter-Smith says respiratory disease and scours remain two of the most common reasons antibiotics are used in young calves.
Vets have urged farmers to pursue vaccination of calves to “significantly” reduce their oral antibiotic usage.
RUMA (Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture Alliance) set a goal of a 10% year-on-year reduction in use of calf oral antibiotics when it unveiled the third cycle of its Targets Task Force (TTF3) in November.
The TTF3 report revealed sales of calf oral antibiotics more than doubled between 2016 and 2024 from 1.92 mg/kg defined daily dose for animals (DDDvet) to 4.03 mg/kg DDDvet.
Meanwhile, Kingshay dairy consultants’ latest antimicrobial focus report, covering 967 dairy herds across 136 veterinary practices, showed calf oral antibiotic usage fell 24% from 1.38 mg/kg population correction unit (PCU) to 1.05 mg/kg PCU between 2024 and 2025.
But Kingshay data also showed that oral products are over-represented in the top antibiotic-using herds, accounting for 13% of total usage among them.
Kingshay farm services specialist and report co-author Emma Puddy said: “Oral antibiotics tend to really increase your overall antimicrobial usage.
“Injectable treatments are for just one animal and involve only a small amount of product, whereas if you’re treating a whole pen of calves, because 5% of them are getting sick and you want to stop the rest, that’s when oral antibiotics tend to be used more.”
Kingshay vet Michael Head suggested the introduction of vaccines for protection against mycoplasma bovis and calf scour caused by cryptosporidiosis and monitoring disease incidence via effective herd health plans could make a difference.
He said: “Effective vaccination strategies form part of this because people can tend to reach for antibiotics, but the benefits of strong immunity, genetic advances and good nutrition mean cattle are better able to resist disease and, in turn, reduce the need for antimicrobials.”
MSD Animal Health vet Kat Baxter-Smith added: “Respiratory disease and scours remain two of the most common reasons antibiotics are used in young calves.
“By tackling these challenges earlier through vaccination and good management, farmers can significantly reduce the need for antimicrobial intervention.”