Use of antibiotics in chicken well within limit: poultry farmers
Updated: Aug 21, 2014 12:15:10pm
Bengaluru, Aug 21 (KNN) Karnataka Poultry Farmers and Breeders Association has come out with a press release assuring the public that the antibiotics used in poultry farming to prevent disease is well within the prescribed limits.
“We would like to clarify that the levels which were found in the recent studies conducted were way below the allowable limits. There is no need to be scared about these figures,” Karnataka Poultry Farmers and Breeders Association, said.
While admitting that it was natural for people to be concerned about the residues in meat, contamination by pathogenic bugs and addition of any performance enhancers, the association has presented some facts regarding poultry meat.
To meet the ever increasing demand for chicken meat, poultry farmers have adopted the best of the genetic material both in layers (egg laying birds) and broilers (meat type birds), using the best of the nutrition and management practices, the release said.
In addition, for success of farming, farmers use antibiotics under the advice of veterinary doctors whenever there is a disease problem in the flock. However, doctors advise farmers about strict dosage regime and the withdrawal period of that particular antibiotic.
Also, there are prescribed limits of the presence of such antibiotics in meat and eggs which are allowed by international standards.
The Association also pointed out to the myth that hormones are used to increase weight of chicken. “There is no need and necessity to use hormones for growth promotion in poultry farming.”
Thanks to modern innovative research in genetics and the excellent and balanced nutrition the bird receives, it reaches the required growth, it said.
“We as producers would like to assure the consumers that health and food safety is certainly our concern and we take every care about the production of healthy and wholesome meat. We extend our total cooperation and support to Government authorities in this direction,” the release said.
In this direction Karnataka Poultry Farmers and Breeders Association (KPFBA) through its continuing education is educating the farmers by repeatedly conducting seminars and workshops for proper use of antibiotics.
Commenting on the subject, Former Vice Chancellor - Karnataka Veterinary, Animal Sciences and Fisheries University and President IVPI, Dr RNS Gowda said, “In poultry practice using of anti-bacterials is inevitable for treatment of bacterial infections. However the dose and their usage under the guidance of a veterinarian are well within the normal levels and they are not harmful even to humans through consumption of meat.”
On the other hand, Head of Technical Committee, KPFBA, Dr GB Puttanniah said, “I have never seen any poultry farmer using hormones to increase the body weight of a bird in my 48 years of my practice.”
Reiterating that it is absolutely safe to consume chicken meat and eggs to enhance general health and wellbeing, the association said that present day nutritionists include chicken and lean meat in moderate amounts in most of the healthy balanced diets which provide nutrient dense food containing on an average of about 20 per cent protein, 4 per cent fat, good amounts of essential amino acids, fatty acids and minerals.
In addition, Indian Council of Medical Research recommends a daily intake of minimum of one gram of protein per kg body weight of a human being per day. Protein is essential for growth, maintenance and the repair of the body and it can also provide energy. In addition vitamin B12 is present only in the foods of animal origin and its deficiency causes pernicious anaemia in humans. (KNN/ES)
“We would like to clarify that the levels which were found in the recent studies conducted were way below the allowable limits. There is no need to be scared about these figures,” Karnataka Poultry Farmers and Breeders Association, said.
While admitting that it was natural for people to be concerned about the residues in meat, contamination by pathogenic bugs and addition of any performance enhancers, the association has presented some facts regarding poultry meat.
To meet the ever increasing demand for chicken meat, poultry farmers have adopted the best of the genetic material both in layers (egg laying birds) and broilers (meat type birds), using the best of the nutrition and management practices, the release said.
In addition, for success of farming, farmers use antibiotics under the advice of veterinary doctors whenever there is a disease problem in the flock. However, doctors advise farmers about strict dosage regime and the withdrawal period of that particular antibiotic.
Also, there are prescribed limits of the presence of such antibiotics in meat and eggs which are allowed by international standards.
The Association also pointed out to the myth that hormones are used to increase weight of chicken. “There is no need and necessity to use hormones for growth promotion in poultry farming.”
Thanks to modern innovative research in genetics and the excellent and balanced nutrition the bird receives, it reaches the required growth, it said.
“We as producers would like to assure the consumers that health and food safety is certainly our concern and we take every care about the production of healthy and wholesome meat. We extend our total cooperation and support to Government authorities in this direction,” the release said.
In this direction Karnataka Poultry Farmers and Breeders Association (KPFBA) through its continuing education is educating the farmers by repeatedly conducting seminars and workshops for proper use of antibiotics.
Commenting on the subject, Former Vice Chancellor - Karnataka Veterinary, Animal Sciences and Fisheries University and President IVPI, Dr RNS Gowda said, “In poultry practice using of anti-bacterials is inevitable for treatment of bacterial infections. However the dose and their usage under the guidance of a veterinarian are well within the normal levels and they are not harmful even to humans through consumption of meat.”
On the other hand, Head of Technical Committee, KPFBA, Dr GB Puttanniah said, “I have never seen any poultry farmer using hormones to increase the body weight of a bird in my 48 years of my practice.”
Reiterating that it is absolutely safe to consume chicken meat and eggs to enhance general health and wellbeing, the association said that present day nutritionists include chicken and lean meat in moderate amounts in most of the healthy balanced diets which provide nutrient dense food containing on an average of about 20 per cent protein, 4 per cent fat, good amounts of essential amino acids, fatty acids and minerals.
In addition, Indian Council of Medical Research recommends a daily intake of minimum of one gram of protein per kg body weight of a human being per day. Protein is essential for growth, maintenance and the repair of the body and it can also provide energy. In addition vitamin B12 is present only in the foods of animal origin and its deficiency causes pernicious anaemia in humans. (KNN/ES)
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