14April 2000

UK animal medicine sales down for 1999

Animal medicine sales fell in theUK in 1999, according to the annual sales survey published today by theNational Office of Animal Health. This is the first overall drop ever recorded.

Speaking in London, NOAH directorRoger Cook also revealed that companion animal sales now account for aroundhalf the UK market.

Farm animal sales have taken adownturn, he said. This reflects the desperate state of UK livestock farmingduring the last year. Innovation in the companion animal sector continues butwhile categories such as cardiovascular treatments continue to grow, thiscannot compensate for the loss of farm animal product sales.

He warned that farmers are beingforced to take chances with their animals health - pig wormers, for examplehad dropped in value by 32.4% from a 1998 figure which was itself low.

Antibiotic sales had also decreaseddramatically. This is due in part to the success of campaigns to encourageanimal husbandry practices which reduce the need for antibiotics, Mr Cooksaid. The guidelines for responsible antimicrobial use in pigs and poultryproduced by RUMA, and other codes such as that published by the BritishVeterinary Association and the industry guide on fluoroquinolone use have allplayed their part.

But the figures also reflected areduction in livestock numbers - for example, between June 1998 and March 1999the total number of pigs in the UK dropped from 8,146,000 to

7,119,000 - and farmers having lessmoney to spend on those that are left. If and when, in the future, livestockfarming recovers, there may well be a consequent increase in animal medicinesales, including antibiotics. This willreflect the fact that there are more animals on farms, and that farmers oncemore have the financial security to stop gambling with the health of theirstock.

Animal medicines are vital toensure we have healthy animals to provide healthy food, he added.

Ends

Notesfor Editors

1.     For further information contactRoger Cook or Alison Glennon on 020 8367 3131,e-mail noah@noah.co.uk orvisit the NOAH website www.noah.co.uk

2. TheNational Office of Animal Health was formed on 1 January 1986 to represent theUK companies which research, develop, manufacture and market licensed animalhealth products. The association has 36 corporate members and 11 associatemembers. In 1999 NOAH's members accounted for around 95% of the 371 million UKanimal health market, with additional valuable exports.

3. NOAHsales survey figures are included in the associations Annual Review 1999-2000.All values refer to sales at ex-manufacturers prices.

4. Thepig number statistics were sourced from MAFF Statistics, pig surveys. The UKbreeding herd fell by 5% between December 1998 and March 1999, following adecrease of 9% between June and December 1998. The number of fattening pigs inthe UK fell by 6% between December 1998 and March 1999.

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