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Antibiotics are used in farmed animals in order to control infections that can be caused by the intense confinement they are subjected to and to promote growth. Approximately 80% of antibiotics sold in the US are used in animal agriculture.

This antibiotic use is a major contributor to the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria ("superbugs") such as MRSA. For more information on how this happens, check out this 
CDC page.


The table below shows the residual drugs that have 
been detected by the USDA
sampling program over the last few years and
their importance in human medicine.

 

Residue
Family
Important in Human Medicine
Carbadox
Quinoxalines
Ciprofloxacin
Fluouroquinolones
Critical
Sulfadimethoxine
Sulfonamide
Sulfamethazine
Sulfonamide
Sulfamethoxypyridazine
Sulfonamide
Sulfapyridine
Sulfanilamide
Tilmicosin
Macrolide
Desfuroylceftiofur
Cephalosporin
Important
Gamithromycin
Azalide
Penicillin
Penicillins
Highly
Meloxicam
NSAID
Flunixin
NSAID
Dihydrostreptomycin
Aminoglycosides
Highly
Enrofloxacin
Fluoroquinolones
Critical
Neomycin
Aminoglycosides
Highly
Florfenicol
Amphenicols
Highly
Oxytetracycline
Tetracyclines
Highly
Gentamycin Sulfate
Aminoglycosides
Highly
Ketoprofen
NSAID
Lincomycin
Lincosamides
Important
Moxidectin
Antiparasitic
Tetracycline
Tetracyclines
Highly
Salbutamol
Bronchodilator
Sulfadiazine
Sulfonamide
Florfenicol
Amphenicols
Important
Ampicillin
Penicillins
Highly


The full report is available here

Not all drugs in this table will be in
the current report as it only covers the last 12 months 
Importance in human medicine as
determined by the FDA
in GFI #152 Appendix A
Downloadable here

Updated 9-5-2022

Antimicrobial resistance is a “fundamental threat” to global health and safety ... Ban Ki-Moon
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