Wednesday, 16 November 2022 10:30

New milk category?

Written by Milking It

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OPINION: A new study suggests consumers would be willing to buy milk from cows only treated with antibiotics when medically necessary - as long as the price isn't much higher than conventional milk.

Researchers at the College of Veterinary Medicine in New York says the findings suggest conventional farmers could tap a potentially large market for this type of milk if they can find the right price point - and that dairy consumers can help slow the rise of antimicrobial resistance.

Most of the antibiotics produced throughout the world are used for animal agriculture. Therefore, reducing antibiotic use in animals, including dairy cattle, is necessary to tackle antibiotic resistance at a global scale, says Dr Renata Ivanek, professor in the Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences. She is senior author on the study, which published Nov. 4 in the Journal of Dairy Science.

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