Poultry Health Data (PHD)
General
The
PHD database is run by Austrian Poultry Health Service (QGV –
Qualitätsgeflügelvereinigung). The QGV is a federation of poultry producers and
veterinarians and comprises the major part of the Austrian poultry production
in the branches broiler and turkey fattening, parental herds and laying hens but
also young cockerels, ducks and geese. The PHD database (initialized 2008)
comprises extensive information of almost all poultry farms and their flocks.
In the PHD all vaccinations and prescriptions of antimicrobials have to be
recorded by the responsible veterinarian.
Data collection
Animal categories: The
main categories for analysis are broiler and turkey fattening, parental herds
and laying hens.
Input: Data on flocks like number of animals and hatching date are entered by the authorized people from the production sector. The responsible vets have to provide all information about antimicrobial prescriptions like the flock ID, date of prescription, name of the drug, substance class and the used amount
Input: Data on flocks like number of animals and hatching date are entered by the authorized people from the production sector. The responsible vets have to provide all information about antimicrobial prescriptions like the flock ID, date of prescription, name of the drug, substance class and the used amount
Analysis
AGES receives every year the whole data of all antimicrobial prescriptions for broilers and turkeys, parental herds and laying hens. This data is combined with the EMA information on animal drugs such that the effectively administered amount of active ingredient can be calculated for every antimicrobial prescription. Special subgroup analysis for WHO’s Highest Priority Critically Important Antimicrobials (HPCIA) is also done. Additionally, flocks from organic farms are analysed separately.
For benchmarking broilers and fattening turkeys (see below) also the produced amount of poultry is considered. Therefore, the amount of administered active ingredients is divided by the amount of produced poultry by using standard weights. But also the mean number of antimicrobial treatments of all herds of a production type as well as the number of treated and untreated herds are calculated.
For benchmarking broilers and fattening turkeys (see below) also the produced amount of poultry is considered. Therefore, the amount of administered active ingredients is divided by the amount of produced poultry by using standard weights. But also the mean number of antimicrobial treatments of all herds of a production type as well as the number of treated and untreated herds are calculated.
Benchmarking and reporting
Every year AGES writes a report where all important statistical measures of antimicrobial usage in the Austrian poultry production for the main poultry categories are displayed. Additionally, so called outlier farms are identified. These are farms with a high usage of antimicrobials compared to their production amount.
Since December 2017 a benchmark system for broiler and turkey farms has been established. Every farm has access to its personal statistical figures about antimicrobial usage over the different years. In some of the figures also mean values of all farms of the same production type are included to enable an assessment of the own farm in respect of the other farms. AGES is currently working on extending the benchmarking system to laying hens.
Since December 2017 a benchmark system for broiler and turkey farms has been established. Every farm has access to its personal statistical figures about antimicrobial usage over the different years. In some of the figures also mean values of all farms of the same production type are included to enable an assessment of the own farm in respect of the other farms. AGES is currently working on extending the benchmarking system to laying hens.