Judicious use and stewardship of antibiotics in the poultry industry

Concerns over the impact of antibiotic resistant bacteria in human medicine have focused more attention on how antibiotics are used to treat food producing livestock and poultry. In response to consumer and activists requests, food service giants in the U.S. like McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, Wendy’s, Subway and others have made pledges to purchase only poultry products coming from birds that either have never been treated with antibiotics or have not been treated with medically important antibiotics.

Poultry integrators are changing production practices to meet the demands of the marketplace in the U.S. Poultry growers, nutritionists and veterinarians are being challenged to raise birds using fewer antibiotics while still maintaining good performance and welfare without increasing food safety concerns.

WATT Global Media will host a panel discussion of poultry industry veterinarians at the International Production and Processing Expo in Atlanta to talk about what has been learned by integrators who have reduced or eliminated antibiotic use in some aspects of their operations and what challenges they still face. Dr. Bruce Stewart-Brown, vice president of food safety and quality, Perdue Farms, Dr. Brian Wooming, senior staff veterinarian, Cargill Turkey Products, Dr. Jeff Courtney, director of veterinary services for Pilgrim’s Pride, and Dr.Alastair Thomas, business development manager Danisco Animal Nutrition, are confirmed as panelists.

This event is presented by WATT Global Media and sponsored by DuPont.