An intervention to reduce the use of antimicrobials in chicken production in Vietnam. (360G-Wellcome-110085_Z_15_Z)

The proposed research will investigate the reduction of antimicrobial use (AMU) levels in chicken production in the Mekong Delta (Vietnam) by providing farmers with a locally-adapted veterinary support system. A randomised before and after controlled trial will be carried out on 120 randomly selected chicken farms. Following, a 12-month (observational) baseline phase, there will be a 18-month intervention phase, with random allocation of farms to one of three arms: (1) Free provision of Farmer T raining and a Farm Health Plan (FTHP) delivered through veterinarians; (2) Replacement of medicated with non-medicated feed, in addition to free FTHP; and (3) No intervention (control). Farms will be longitudinally visited to collect data on AMU (measured in grams of active principle of each type of antimicrobial), health and productivity. The design will capture (1) reductions in AMU (2) the impact of any reductions of the proposed intervention on AMR in commensal enteric bacteria in a random s ubset of farms (15 per arm); and (3) economic trade-offs between the costs of the intervention and gains as a result of savings in antimicrobial usage, improved animal health and productivity, and reductions in AMR in animals and the environment.