Table 1.

Quotes illustrating various topics discussed in focus group discussions (FGD1 and FGD2) with veterinarians and interviews with feed-store vendors (FSV)

Topic	Relevant quote
Appropriate antibiotic use
Appropriate drug for clinical situation	“What we often see in the field is the misuse of antibiotics. For any disease, people reach for antibiotics without a proper diagnosis. We also see many cases where an antibiotic is confused with an antiparasitic drug—in some cases, people think they’re dosing [against parasites] but they are in fact using an antibiotic.” (Veterinarian, FGD1)
Proper dosing	“If, for example, we tell [a farmer] that they have to dose the animal with 1 mL/kg, the farmer doesn’t do so; some apply less, others apply more, saying “More is better,” although not always. In the field, people often do not pay attention to indications [for the drug].” (Veterinarian, FGD2)
Use of diagnostic tests	“Commonly, rural people or professionals in the field are not used to relying on or using a diagnostic laboratory test or microbiological diagnosis involving an antibiogram, because the owner can hardly afford that expense.” (Veterinarian, FGD1)
Avoidance of residues	“Most producers know that milk with residues should not be sent [to the milk company]. If the milk company doesn’t say anything to them and we tell them they shouldn’t send milk with residues, they send it anyway.” (Veterinarian, FGD1)
Barriers to proper prescribing
Perception of clients’ abilities	“The problem here is that farmers have a very limited education. Most haven’t even been to primary school. Even when they receive training [in proper drug usage], they get confused because each veterinarian from each laboratory has his own criteria, so the farmers easily get confused.” (FSV)
Clients’ habits	“There are products that remain etched in the mind of the producer that they think can cure anything. […] Above all, they do things this way because their parents did things this way, so they continue doing so, and oftentimes it is difficult to get them to change.” (Veterinarian, FGD2)
Clients’ economic means	“More than anything, I always say that the market of small producers has a lot to do with price. [Farmers] are always looking for the cheapest product. […] For example, penicillin is most expensive, oxytetracyclines are cheapest, and there are a large number of products of later generations which are much more expensive – impossible to use them in rural areas.” (FSV)
Drug inventory	“It was very difficult to obtain penicillins on the market, which is why I say the market was not providing them. Oxytetracycline was used so often, and a study showed that Staph. aureus was highly resistant to antibiotics. Animals responded well to penicillin, but it was hard to find that drug.” (Veterinarian, FGD1)