Sudvet Has Lowered Antibiotic Use With Botanical Compounds

The Chilean animal health firm is using plant-based solutions to improve fish resilience in global aquaculture.

Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in Pet Health

Bold vector editorial illustration of a glass beaker containing botanical leaves and abstract aquatic forms, representing sustainable aquaculture health solutions.
Chilean animal health firm Sudvet is implementing plant-based botanical compounds to reduce antibiotic reliance in aquaculture operations across Norway, Japan, and Brazil. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Chilean animal health firm Sudvet has successfully implemented botanical strategies to improve fish resilience in aquaculture. The company uses compounds from over 700 plant species to manage chronic disease and inflammation.

Why it matters

By shifting toward non-pharmacological health management, the company seeks to enhance animal welfare and significantly lower the environmental impact of fish farming. This approach addresses the industry challenge of reducing reliance on synthetic treatments.

Sudvet utilizes research derived from over 700 plant species to design preventive strategies. These methods have achieved a maximum reduction in antibiotic consumption of 75 percent and a 62 percent decrease in antiparasitic use since 2019.

The players

Sudvet

Sudvet is a Chilean animal health firm that specializes in developing botanical solutions for aquaculture.

Marcela Delgado

Marcela Delgado is the founder who began exploring health resilience concepts for animal welfare in 2007.

The details

Technical teams of veterinarians collaborate with farmers to create strategies that monitor blood markers, histology, and biochemical performance. These botanical compounds are intended to manage fish stress and address chronic inflammation in operations across countries including Norway, Japan, and Brazil.

Timeline

  1. Sudvet began its work on botanical solutions for fish health in 2007.

  2. The firm expanded its research to include salmon health studies in Norway starting in 2015.

  3. The company introduced non-pharmacological sea lice management strategies in Chile in 2019.

Culture Shift

This development aligns with the global aquaculture industry shift toward antibiotic reduction initiatives. The move reflects a broader societal push for sustainable farming practices that prioritize long-term ecological health over conventional chemical interventions.

The adoption of these botanical methods may lead to a higher quality of fish available in local markets by reducing chemical residues. For consumers, this represents a shift toward more sustainable seafood options that avoid standard antibiotic treatment cycles.

The takeaway

Sudvet demonstrates that integrating botanical science into commercial fish farming can yield significant environmental and health benefits. Farmers looking to improve operational efficiency should evaluate how preventive stress management through plants can reduce medical costs.

Further reading

For more on evolving standards in animal wellness, visit Pet Health.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Seafoodsource.

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Should agricultural industries prioritize replacing chemical treatments with natural, botanical alternatives?