The following was posted this week on NCC’s blog, “The Cluck:

With all the attention today on antibiotics and the serious issue of antibiotic resistance, it is important to understand how and why antibiotics are used on the farm. More specifically, how do antibiotics help chicken farmers deliver on the commitment to provide ethical care and safe, wholesome, affordable food?

While antibiotic resistance is a complex issue, the reasons antibiotics are a necessary and vital part of modern agriculture are simple, straightforward and guided by the belief that antibiotics must always be used responsibly.

The animal health community, farmers and veterinarians collaborated to change how antibiotics are administered in agriculture. The changes that took effect this year ensure that antibiotics important to human medicine are used only for disease treatment, prevention and control in animals, not growth promotion. And, treatment often requires a veterinary feed directive – essentially a prescription from a veterinarian.

With responsible use as the base, there are good reasons farmers give antibiotics to chickens (and other animals raised for food), food safety included. Let’s explore the top three reasons for antibiotic use.

Read more…