antibiotics – what you need to know

This short handout was created to educate consumers, stakeholders and government that the chicken sector is committed to controlling, monitoring and reducing antimicrobial use to preserve effective treatment options. While the continued availability of antimicrobials, and their subsequent responsible use, is important to safeguard poultry health and welfare, the chicken sector is implementing a sector wide strategy to control, monitor and reduce antimicrobial use where possible.

The sector-wide strategy includes:

1. defining antimicrobial use and analyzing antimicrobial resistance trends
2. reviewing best management practices
3. ensuring effective controls of antimicrobial use in Canada
4. educating stakeholders on the issues of antimicrobial use and resistance
5. research and availability of alternative products.

These components are described in greater detail within the backgrounder document below.

This brochure is a backgrounder on the antimicrobial use strategy launched by Canada’s chicken sector. It is a more in-depth piece which explores the measures being taken by the chicken industry now, and over the past few years, to address concerns with antibiotic use in animal agriculture.

Participants in the strategy include:

• Animal Nutrition Association of Canada
• Canadian Hatchery Federation
• Canadian Hatching Egg Producers
• Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council
• Chicken Farmers of Canada
• Canadian Association of Poultry Veterinarians

It contains details of the strategy and measures being taken and demonstrates the proactive approach being taken to provide confidence to consumers and government that antimicrobial use in the chicken sector is responsible, and is being managed appropriately and safely.

Recently, media, researchers and consumers have focused attention on antibiotic use in chicken production, leaving health care professionals, as well as the general public, with questions.

Chicken Farmers of Canada supports the responsible use of antibiotics that have been approved by the Veterinary Drugs Directorate of Health Canada, in order to ensure food safety, animal health and animal welfare. Antibiotic use in chicken production is for the treatment of birds, to reduce disease and to reduce any potential food safety problems. Antibiotics play an integral role in providing a safe product for consumers, so that only healthy birds enter the food chain for consumption.