Both projects have been jointly established by the organizations SUISAG and Qualiporc, service centres for pig producers in Switzerland, in collaboration with their affiliated porcine sanitary services. Preliminary and pilot studies took place in the years 2014 and 2015-2017 (SUISSANO only). The start of the systems was in April 1st, 2018. The herd coverage in Switzerland is estimated to be at 80 to 90% in 2021 (30% in 2018).

Animal subcategories: Piglets, weaners, fattening pigs, gestating sows and lactating sows.

Input: Producers/Farmers are responsible for submitting treatment data via electronic treatment journal. Data submitted are age group, number of animals treated, weight of animals treated, duration of treatment, amount of product, number of pigs housed on farm, indication for treatment and mortality in all age groups excl. sows.

DCDvet[1]/animal/year; DCDCH[2],[3]/animal/year; proportion of pigs treated/year (animal treatment index (ATI). Only the ATI is reported to farmers (quarterly). Treatments with less desirable products, such as those containing High Priority Critically Important Antimicrobials or triple combinations of antimicrobials are multiplicated with factor four, resp. five. Trends in mortality are monitored groups in order to avoid negative effects of any reduction of antimicrobial usage.

The benchmark will be set in autumn 2019. Thresholds as well as factors concerning critical ingredients and products will be determined by stakeholders (farmer, veterinarians, government, and university) in corporate action. The ATI is reported to the farmers quarterly. Farms showing an ATI above the threshold in three consecutive quarters will get support and special advice to improve farm management and reduce AMU. Farms that do not cooperate are excluded from the program.