Upcoming Meeting: Antibiotic Use in Animal Agriculture

March 20, 2006 — University of Illinois

Antibiotic use in swine production will be the focus of the 2006 University of Illinois Pork Industry Conference to be held April 27-28 at the Holiday Inn of Urbana. A copy of the program, along with the registration form, is available online at: http://www.traill.uiuc.edu/porknet/eventDisplay.cfm?ContentID=8179.

"Antibiotics are valuable tools in animal production and have been for half a century," explained Jim Pettigrew, U of I Extension swine specialist and professor of animal sciences and co-organizer of the conference. "However, there are concerns that use of antibiotics in animal production contributes to the problem of antibiotic resistance in human medicine.

"At the conference, scientific evidence on the issues surrounding antibiotic use in livestock production will be reviewed and we will objectively consider courses of action for the future, taking into account both benefits and risks of antibiotic use."

The conference is targeted to pork producers, allied industry personnel, legislators, feed industry personnel, consulting nutritionists, veterinary practitioners, and others interested in up-to-date information on antibiotic use in swine production.

Presenters include U of I faculty and researchers as well as scientists Sweden, Canada, and Denmark and U.S. universities and the USDA and the FDA.

Pre-registration is requested by April 17 for the conference sponsored by the U of I Department of Animal Sciences and the National Pork Board.

Conference registration is $220 per person through April 17 and $250 after that date. The fee includes breakfast, breaks, two lunches, and a printed copy of the proceedings.

For further information contact the conference coordinator, Gilbert Hollis, at (217) 333-0013, e-mail hollisg@uiuc.edu .