From certification to action: Antimicrobial use and stewardship perceptions in Colombian dairy herds.

Abstract

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in dairy production depends not only on monitoring antimicrobial use (AMU) but also on understanding producer decision-making. In Colombia, evidence on AMU-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among herds certified in good livestock practices (BPG) remains limited. We conducted a cross-sectional KAP survey between January and February 2025 in BPG-certified dairy herds in northern Antioquia. All 65 eligible herds were invited, and 31 producers participated. The questionnaire collected information on herd and producer characteristics, veterinary support, AMU decision-making, information sources, and responses to six clinical scenarios. KAP indices were standardized to a 0-100 scale. Respondents and nonrespondents were similar in herd size and milk production, although respondents had completed more BPG certification cycles. Veterinary involvement was limited and mainly reactive: preventive herd health visits were uncommon, and laboratory support was infrequent (6.5% always; 13.0% never). Antimicrobials were frequently selected in clinical scenarios, including calf diarrhea with mild signs (96.8%), whereas use was less commonly chosen for lameness (38.7%). Knowledge scores for three basic AMR/antibiotic items were high (mean 96.8/100), attitudes were generally favorable (mean 92.9/100), although the latter should be interpreted cautiously because of modest internal consistency, and practices were intermediate (mean 61.0/100), with low uptake of selective dry-cow therapy (12.9%). In exploratory Firth penalized logistic regression, milk withdrawal showed a borderline inverse association with veterinary consultation before AMU. Overall, stewardship-relevant gaps persisted, supporting context-specific AMS interventions within the BPG framework.