GTA

Support: AMROH – South Asia Regional Grant (Led by Massey University, New Zealand)

Partner: Government of Nepal (including relevant departments under the Department of Livestock Services)

Status: On-going

Objective:

1. To promote rational use of antibiotics in Nepal’s poultry sector by engaging animal health practitioners, including veterinarians, para-veterinarians, agrovet shops, farmers, and other service providers, using AMU (Antimicrobial Use) and AMR (Antimicrobial Resistance) surveillance findings to inform and guide responsible antibiotic use practices.
2. Identify poultry pathogens including Mycoplasma spps, Salmonella, E.coli etc. and their source(s) in small-scale semi-commercial broiler farms and their effect in antimicrobial use.
3. To introduce the concept of AMS in animal health sector with different intervention ideas that fits best with farmers.
4. Understand details of poultry health issues and management practices that influence the health of poultry, including vaccination practices.

Methodology:

Pathogen identification and data collection

Selection Criteria for Farms

Target number: 20 broiler farms

Length of longitudinal study: 2 full production cycles from chick delivery to sale Size of farm: 1000-5000 birds

Rationale: higher antimicrobial use, more frequently use veterinary sources other than veterinarians

Production Level: Semi-commercial- housed in sheds and sold commercially.

Location: Kathmandu valley

Structure: 4 clusters of 5 farms within a close geographic area.

A selection of different dealers represented in each cluster – ideally 2 different dealers per cluster.

Data Collection:

1. Farmer group setup

2. Surveys on:

o Vaccinations and antibiotic use
o Chick mortality and illness symptoms
o Management factors
o Batch records (medications, symptoms, mortality)
o Litter, biosecurity, water/feed sources

Sample type, size and targeted pathogens
Blood serum – MG/MS ELISA test.
Liver heart spleen swab – E.coli and associated pathogen
Bone swab – Enterococcus spp
Tracheal / air sac / Choanal swab – MG/MS PCR
Environmental swabs– E. coli, salmonella, Staphylococcus
Chick paper swab – E. coli, salmonella Staphylococcus

Outcomes Achieved:

1. Collection of real-world data on Commercial broiler farmer antibiotic use including the findings of critical third generation antibiotics been used in field scenario in heavy quantity.
2. Inconsistent veterinary oversight with dealers playing crucial role for non-expert advices to farmers.
3. Presence of pathogens like Mycoplasma, E.coli and salmonella in the commercial broilers of Kathmandu valley
4. Understanding of antimicrobial use and administration practices.
5. Identification of different management ways that influence issues in the health of the poultry.

Goals to achieve before September 2025:

1. Develop practitioner-focused engagement programs to provide evidence-based guidance on rational antibiotic use.
2. Create practitioner-targeted training materials, including treatment guidelines, to support AMS through engagement programs.
3. Design sustainable AMU surveillance approaches incorporating practitioner insights for practical and effective monitoring.
4. Implement farmer training on biosecurity and disease prevention.

Conclusion: The program can be a different research approach of AMS to address the issue of AMR and disease status in Nepal. Under the guidance of DLS together with CVL and VSDRL, this approach can be effective to figure out disease patterns in commercial broilers of Kathmandu valley and ways to access those problems to ultimately work for the reduction of antimicrobial use and resistance in the Kathmandu valley. The findings of PEP can be helpful to represent the status of disease in Nepal in the commercial broilers and the approaches can be useful in designing activities for the government to tackle the issues in the poultry industry in Nepal. This integration fosters collaborative action between animal health practitioners, policymakers, and surveillance programs, improving antimicrobial stewardship and reducing AMR risks in Nepal’s poultry industry.