MRSA in milk: another mega-dairy danger?

Jun 6, 2011

cows on a rotary milker - often used in large scale mega dairies

Not in my Cuppa has concerns over the discovery of a new MRSA strain in British milk. If intensive dairy farming becomes the norm, there is a risk of antibiotic resistant disease growing in the UK.

Our campaign allies the Soil Association and Compassion in World Farming, as well as scientists from the University of Liverpool, are spot on in their calls to ban the routine use of antibiotics in farming. We only have to look to America to see how antibiotics prop up the industrial farming system.

Help us let government and supermarkets know that the British public does not want to drink factory milk from battery cows – add your name to our Not in my Cuppa campaign >>

WSPA investigation backs up latest research

When WSPA visited leading US academics last year on our second investigative trip into the mega-dairy industry, we were told that of the 27 million pounds of antibiotics produced annually in America – the equivalent weight of 2,000 African elephants – just 3 million are used for humans, with the rest being used in animal husbandry.

Researcher Dr. Robert Lawrence, who was commissioned to provide recommendations for US farming industry improvements, Director of the Center for a Livable Future at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told us this was “creating enormous health problems”.

Read our case against mega-dairies – turn to page 10 for our info on antibiotic resistance >>

As well as the human health implications, we agree with the University of Liverpool scientists who argue there is ‘no welfare case’ for the routine use of low dosage antibiotics as they mask poor management, animal husbandry and cow welfare. Many of the health problems associated with intensive dairy farming could be mitigated by allowing cows to graze outdoors.

How you can help

Simon Pope, WSPA UK head of external affairs, said: “Despite what we are being told, bigger is not always better. Britain’s farmers need to be empowered by the government and consumers to make use of our country’s farming strengths, rather than copy a non-sustainable intensive system that has destroyed US dairy farming and the communities that depend on it.”

Help us let government and supermarkets know that the British public does not want to drink factory milk from battery cows – please say "not in my cuppa" today >>

Find out more about WSPA's work on UK dairy farming >>