Veterinary Drugs: Residues in Food and the Environment

Although veterinary drugs including antibiotics are frequently used, the number of positive findings in meat, meat products, milk and honey is low. After application, drugs are excreted and many of them reach the environment. Thus, veterinary antibiotics were found in cattle manure and pig slurry in high amounts. The fertilization of soil with liquid manure transfers active compounds in agricultural soils and subsequently to plants and our ground water resources. The inappropriate use of antibiotics in human and veterinary medicine is one of the main reasons for the spread of antibiotic resistance worldwide. Therefore, the entry of drugs into the environment should be reduced whenever possible. In the case of veterinary drugs, various approaches including legislative and technological measures are discussed to reach this goal.