15.12.2022

A new report from the US Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) showed improvement in antibiotic stewardship and commitment to disease prevention within the poultry industry. Data regarding antibiotic use in broilers and turkeys were reported from hatchery to slaughter through the nine-year collection period of 2013-2021. Data for the table egg industry was reported from the hatchery throughout production for the six-year collection period of 2016-2021. The data pool includes 150 million layer hens, 8 billion broiler chickens, and 150 million turkeys.
Broilers: antibiotics in the hatchery decreased from 90% (2013) to 0% (2021). There was no reported in-feed teteracycline use in 2020 or 2021. Medically important water-soluble anti-microbilas decreased substantially from 2013-2017, and then stabilized or decreased slightly from 2017-2021.
Turkeys: Hatchery gentamicin use decreased almost 50% from 2013-2021. In-feed tetracycline use decreased more than 80% over the 9-year period.  Medically important water-soluble anti-microbilas decreased substantially from 2013-2017, and then stabilized or decreased slightly from 2017-2021.
Egg-type layers: All chicks in the dataset received gentamicin in the hatchery on day one. Only one medically important antibiotic was used in layer production for treatment and control of disease: chlortetracycline (CTC). CTC was only administerd via the feed in pullets and hens.