Factors influencing pig farmers’ and veterinarians’ intention to reduce antimicrobial usage in six european countries

Veterinary antimicrobial (AM) usage should be reduced to mitigate the development of AM resistance. This study investigated factors that influence pig farmers’ intention to reduce AM usage and veterinarians’ reported reduction behaviour; these are a prerequisite for actual behaviour. A survey was conducted among 1,294 pig farmers and 334 veterinarians in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland to assess the perceived risks, benefits and need of AM usage, potential for AM usage reduction, farmers’ self-efficacy (i.e. perceived own abilities to reduce AM usage), relation with farmers as clients and support from veterinarian. Farmers’ self-efficacy and perceived feasibility of AM usage reduction were the main predictors of farmers’ intention to reduce AM usage and veterinarians’ reduction behaviour, respectively. To promote prudent AM usage, pig farmers need to learn how to control their AM usage by applying alternative measures, whereas veterinarians should strengthen their advisory role to support and educate farmers English