Until recently, most meat chickens received a daily dose of antibiotics. Here's what's changed.
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I wonder if the reason Laurie Mischley has found that chicken is bad is that it is often treated with antibiotics?
”Until recently, the antibiotic zinc bacitracin was mixed into the daily feed of most meat chickens as a preventative measure against the intestinal disease necrotic enteritis.”
”“With AMR increasing around the world, and few new antibiotics being developed, careful use of the antibiotics we have will help to keep them effective.”
Total sales of antibiotics critical for human health decreased by 8% in 2022 to 6285 kilograms, the lowest they had been since 2017, Arbuckle said.
Overall, antibiotic sales dropped from 71,361kg in 2017 to 41,033kg in 2022, a 42% decrease.
The dairy and pork industries were the largest buyers of antibiotics last year, at 57% and 16% of total sales respectively.
Arbuckle said the continued reduction in the use of antibiotics was down to a “concerted effort” from industry and NZFS to ensure the medicines were used properly.
The New Zealand Veterinary Association has a goal for the country’s agriculture to be antibiotic-free except in emergency cases by 2030.”