{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,17]],"date-time":"2026-04-17T04:56:04Z","timestamp":1776401764387,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]],"date-time":"2026-04-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776211200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In recent years, there have been important regulatory and management changes in livestock farming in Italy and other European countries. The goal of these changes has been to decrease the use of antimicrobials (antimicrobial stewardship). The objective of this observational study was to explore the potential relationship between the decrease in the use of antimicrobials and the rise in the culling of dairy cattle on 210 farms in the Lodi province. Records of antimicrobials used in dairy herds (measured as the daily defined dose animal for Italy\u2014DDDAit) and culling rates were retrieved from the Italian Ministry of Health official databases. These were statistically analyzed to assess the presence of an association between changes in the DDDAit and changes in the culling rates in 2023 and 2024. The results indicated that the DDDAit exhibited minimal fluctuations over the two-year period (3.61% vs. 2.45%). However, there was a notable shift observed in the culling rates, particularly among smaller herds (24.51 vs. 39.27%). The statistical analysis showed a significant correlation between herd size and antimicrobial treatment, with a higher frequency in larger herds. The results of this study indicate that reducing antimicrobial treatments alone may not necessarily result in better animal welfare or herd sustainability, particularly when it is associated with an increase in the culling rate. It also suggests that antimicrobial treatment rates and culling rates derived from a mandatory recording system provide a simple means of verifying the level of herd health management and of assessing the antimicrobial stewardship approach efficacy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani16081200","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]],"date-time":"2026-04-15T08:11:18Z","timestamp":1776240678000},"page":"1200","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Observational Study on Antimicrobial Treatment Frequencies and Culling Rates in a Cohort of Dairy Herds in Lodi Province (Italy)"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0007-9825-6109","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Viviana","family":"Fusi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Post-Graduate School in Milk and Milk Products Hygiene and Technology, University of Milan, Via Pascal 36, 20133 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Emanuele","family":"Invernizzi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"ATS Citt\u00e0 Metropolitana di Milano, Distretto Veterinario Basso Lodigiano, Via Trieste 76, 26845 Codogno, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1838-4885","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Valerio","family":"Sora","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Milano, Via Pascal 36, 20133 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-7446-6229","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francesca","family":"Zaghen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Milano, Via Pascal 36, 20133 Milan, Italy"},{"name":"Associazione Regionale Allevatori Lombardia, Via Kennedy 30, 26013 Crema, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Flavio","family":"Sommariva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Associazione Regionale Allevatori Lombardia, Via Kennedy 30, 26013 Crema, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3127-8385","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alfonso","family":"Zecconi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Milano, Via Pascal 36, 20133 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"European Union (2017). A European One Health Action Plan Against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), European Union."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"827","DOI":"10.1093\/jac\/dkt443","article-title":"Correlation between veterinary antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance in food-producing animals: A report on seven countries","volume":"69","author":"Chantziaras","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Antimicrob. Chemother."},{"key":"#cr-split#-ref_3.1","unstructured":"Parliament, E. (2019). Regulation"},{"key":"#cr-split#-ref_3.2","unstructured":"(EU) 2019\/6 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on Veterinary Medicinal Products and Repealing Directive 2001\/82\/EC, European Union."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"MASAF (2026, March 21). Eco-Schema 1\u2014Pagamento Per la Riduzione Della Antimicrobico Resistenza e il Benessere Animale, Available online: https:\/\/www.masaf.gov.it\/flex\/cm\/pages\/ServeBLOB.php\/L\/IT\/IDPagina\/18874."},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"163","article-title":"Strategies to reduce antibiotic usage in dairy cattle in the Netherlands","volume":"20","author":"Lam","year":"2012","journal-title":"Cattle Pract."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rvsc.2014.01.001","article-title":"Strategies for reduced antibiotic usage in dairy cattle farms","volume":"96","author":"Trevisi","year":"2014","journal-title":"Res. Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and European Medicines Agency (EMA) (2024). Antimicrobial consumption and resistance in bacteria from humans and food-producing animals. EFSA J., 22, e8589.","DOI":"10.2903\/j.efsa.2024.8589"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1128\/microbiolspec.ARBA-0015-2017","article-title":"Monitoring Antimicrobial Drug Usage in Animals: Methods and Applications","volume":"6","author":"Werner","year":"2018","journal-title":"Microbiol. Spectr."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"Ministero_della_Salute (2026, March 21). DDD e DCD Defined Daily Dose Animal for Italy (DDDAit) 2020, 23. Available online: https:\/\/ddd.veterinariodifiducia.it\/MetodologiaDDDConsumoAntimicrobiciV1_2.pdf."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kulkarni, P., Mourits, M., Nielen, M., and Steeneveld, W. (2023). Associations between dairy farm performance indicators and culling rates under policy-driven herd size constraints. Front. Vet. Sci., 10.","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2023.1062891"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Barten, M., de Geus, Y., den Hartog, J., and Lipman, L. (2025). Decision-Making Regarding On-Farm Culling Methods for Dairy Cows Related to Cow Welfare, Sustainable Beef Production, and Farm Economics. Animals, 15.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani15111651"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3846","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2019-17140","article-title":"Symposium review: The impact of management and facilities on cow culling rates","volume":"103","author":"Cook","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"132","DOI":"10.1016\/j.prevetmed.2017.08.020","article-title":"Culling from the herd\u2019s perspective-Exploring herd-level management factors and culling rates in Qu\u00e9bec dairy herds","volume":"147","author":"Haine","year":"2017","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"540","DOI":"10.1136\/vr.100317","article-title":"Effects of periparturient events on subsequent culling and fertility in eight UK dairy herds","volume":"170","author":"Hayes","year":"2012","journal-title":"Vet. Rec."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hoischen-Taubner, S., Habel, J., Uhlig, V., Schwabenbauer, E., Rumphorst, T., Ebert, L., M\u00f6ller, D., and Sundrum, A. (2021). The Whole and the Parts-A New Perspective on Production Diseases and Economic Sustainability in Dairy Farming. Sustainability, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/su13169044"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Vredenberg, I., Han, R., Mourits, M., Hogeveen, H., and Steeneveld, W. (2021). An Empirical Analysis on the Longevity of Dairy Cows in Relation to Economic Herd Performance. Front. Vet. Sci., 8.","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2021.646672"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1426","DOI":"10.1080\/1828051X.2024.2407092","article-title":"Evaluation of \u2018ClassyFarm\u2019, the Italian integrated surveillance system of livestock farms, in the context of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance","volume":"23","author":"Tomassone","year":"2024","journal-title":"Ital. J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1896","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(06)72257-3","article-title":"Invited Review: Culling: Nomenclature, Definitions, and Recommendations","volume":"89","author":"Fetrow","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"Morrison, D.F. (1976). Multivariate Statistical Analysis, McGraw-Hill Inc.. [3rd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"505","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2017-12994","article-title":"Determinants of antimicrobial treatment for udder health in Danish dairy cattle herds","volume":"101","author":"Gussmann","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1388","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2016-11708","article-title":"Antimicrobial treatment of clinical mastitis in the eastern United States: The influence of dairy farmers\u2019 mastitis management and treatment behavior and attitudes","volume":"100","author":"Kayitsinga","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7302","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2019-17960","article-title":"Antimicrobial use and farmers\u2019 attitude toward mastitis treatment on dairy farms with automatic or conventional milking systems","volume":"103","author":"Deng","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Borelli, E., Ellis, K., Tomlinson, M., and Hotchkiss, E. (2023). Antimicrobial usage and resistance in scottish dairy herds: A survey of farmers\u2019 knowledge, behaviours and attitudes. BMC Vet. Res., 19.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12917-023-03625-0"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/S0167-5877(97)00020-2","article-title":"The production system and disease incidence in a national random longitudinal study of Swiss dairy herds","volume":"32","author":"Frei","year":"1997","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Gates, M., Holmstrom, L., Biggers, K., and Beckham, T. (2015). Integrating novel data streams to support biosurveillance in commercial livestock production systems in developed countries: Challenges and opportunities. Front. Public Health, 3.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2015.00074"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1016\/j.prevetmed.2021.105487","article-title":"Factors influencing the performance of voluntary farmer disease reporting in passive surveillance systems: A scoping review","volume":"196","author":"Gates","year":"2021","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"563","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2010-3715","article-title":"Invited review: Effect of udder health management practices on herd somatic cell count","volume":"94","author":"Dufour","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2980","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.S0022-0302(00)75198-8","article-title":"Effect of region, herd size, and milk production on reasons cows leave the herd","volume":"83","author":"Smith","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5439","DOI":"10.2527\/jas.2016-0805","article-title":"Invited Review: Farm size and animal welfare","volume":"94","author":"Robbins","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"201","DOI":"10.1016\/j.prevetmed.2004.04.001","article-title":"Veterinary antimicrobial-usage statistics based on standardized measures of dosage","volume":"64","author":"Jensen","year":"2004","journal-title":"Prev. Vet. Med."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kasabova, S., Hartmann, M., Werner, N., K\u00e4sbohrer, A., and Kreienbrock, L. (2019). Used Daily Dose vs. Defined Daily Dose-Contrasting Two Different Methods to Measure Antibiotic Consumption at the Farm Level. Front. Vet. Sci., 6.","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2019.00116"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1017\/S002202991200060X","article-title":"Predisposing factors for involuntary culling in Holstein-Friesian dairy cows","volume":"80","author":"Chiumia","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Dairy Res."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Edwards-Callaway, L., Mcbride, B., Machuca, E., Dean, L., Sayre, K., Cramer, C., Rom\u00e1n-Mu\u00f1iz, N., Keller, K., Stallones, L., and Manriquez, D. (2024). Expert Consultation: Factors Influencing End-of-Life Decision-Making for Dairy Cattle Across the United States Supply Chain. Animals, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani14223311"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Han, R., Mourits, M., and Hogeveen, H. (2022). The association of dairy cattle longevity with farm level technical inefficiency. Front. Vet. Sci., 9.","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2022.1001015"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8594","DOI":"10.3168\/jds.2024-26191","article-title":"Early-life management practices and their association with dairy herd longevity, productivity, and profitability","volume":"108","author":"Dallago","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Dairy Sci."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.7120\/096272812X13345905673647","article-title":"Culled early or culled late: Economic decisions and risks to welfare in dairy cows","volume":"21","author":"Langford","year":"2012","journal-title":"Anim. Welf."}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/16\/8\/1200\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,17]],"date-time":"2026-04-17T04:16:31Z","timestamp":1776399391000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/16\/8\/1200"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]]},"references-count":37,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4]]}},"alternative-id":["ani16081200"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani16081200","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]]}}}