Pig farming is a major sector of animal agriculture in Korea. Biosecurity practices and responsible antimicrobial use are key components in reducing disease incidence and mitigating antimicrobial resistance in swine production. This study aimed to compare biosecurity practices, antimicrobial usage, and antimicrobial resistance profiles across conventional, integrated, and grandparent (GP) pig farms in Korea. Data were collected from 69 pig farms (30 conventional, 30 integrated, and 9 GP) using detailed questionnaires and antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Escherichia coli. GP farms exhibited significantly higher productivity, with 77.8% achieving more than 23 marketed-pigs-per-sow-per-year and 44.4% having livability rates over 96%, outperforming conventional (20.0, 20.0%) and integrated farms (36.7, 26.7%). GP farms also demonstrated stricter biosecurity, including 100% adherence to farm-only vehicle use, regular veterinarian evaluation, and stringent access controls. Antimicrobial usage was lowest on GP farms (7.3±4.3 prescriptions) compared to conventional farms (9.7±7.4). Conventional farms exhibited the highest resistance to critical antimicrobials such as ceftiofur (conventional: 41.5; integrated: 23.9; GP: 21.8%) and ciprofloxacin (conventional: 51.0; integrated: 45.4; GP: 33.9%). The 14.4% of conventional isolates were resistant to 10 antimicrobial subclasses, compared to just 1.7 and 1.6% in integrated and GP farms, respectively. Stricter biosecurity and more prudent antimicrobial use in GP and integrated farms were associated with lower resistance rates, highlighting the importance of enhanced stewardship and management practices in conventional farms. These findings can also inform the development of policies and guidelines for sustainable and responsible pig production, aiming to reduce antimicrobial usage in Korea.

To Cite This Article: Do KH, Choe SJ, Jung CM, Lee SW, Lim SK, Kang HM, Seo KW and Lee WK 2025. Comparative analysis of biosecurity practices, antimicrobial usage, and antimicrobial resistance in Korean pig farms by farm type. Pak Vet J. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2025.199