In fact, I doubt even that much benefit because it's a rare farmer, indeed, who bothers to run in-flock or in-herd comparison trials to test the efficacy of antibiotics as growth promotants.
They have been falling out of favour, mainly with politically-correct customers in the food chain.
Only 48 percent of broiler chicken producers continue to use them, 51 percent of
nursery hog producers and 38 percent of finishing hog producers, according to the most recent data
available.
Sneeringer spoke during a webinar looking at the findings of
a recently released USDA report on the economics of
antibiotic use in U.S. livestock production.
She said potential effects of restrictions on antibiotic use
for production purposes include:
More feed required per
unit of weight gain.
Slower growth to
market weight.
Higher rates of death
and illness among young animals.
Reproduction levels
might decrease.
More animals weighing
in at the higher and lower ends of the spectrum.
More extensive
bio-security and other disease prevention measures may be required.
