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European Commission
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Traditional herbal medicines as alternatives to antimicrobials in the livestock sector

  • Publication | 2026

This FAO technical brief examines the potential of traditional herbal medicines (THMs) as accessible, affordable, and potentially resistance-resilient alternatives to conventional antibiotics in livestock farming. While THMs offer a promising solution for reducing antimicrobial resistance, their widespread adoption and regulation are currently hindered by variable effectiveness, lack of standardized production methods, and insufficient scientific data regarding their long-term safety and efficacy. Consequently, more research, localized validation, and interdisciplinary knowledge exchange between traditional and contemporary medicine are required before they can be broadly recommended.

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