The Health Council of the Netherlands wants the government to ban newly developed antibiotics being given to cattle and poultry. It also says healthy animals shouldn’t be treated with antibiotics just because an animal nearby is sick.

The measures are designed to combat the effects of bacteria resistant to antibiotics being transferred to humans. Doctors are finding it more difficult to treat people with infections because these are increasingly often not responding to treatment with antibiotics. The council says new antibiotics should be reserved for the treatment of humans.

The LTO Dutch farmers’ and growers’ organisation has broadly welcomed the advice. It says however, the changes should be introduced slowly and that consumers should share the cost of the developments.