antibiotics: your questions answered

Antibiotics play an important role in providing a safe product for consumers, as well as in animal welfare and in animal health. Antibiotics help to maintain healthy birds, thereby ensuring a safe food supply for consumers. Some farmers may use antibiotics for the treatment of birds and to prevent any potential food safety problems. A small amount of antibiotics may be, but is not always, included in chicken feed to prevent disease. Bacteria are everywhere – and this includes antibiotic-resistant bacteria. They can come from virtually anywhere, including transmission from the breeder flock, the feed, water, the environment, processing and even consumer handling. Finding antibiotic-resistant bacteria on chicken doesn’t necessarily mean that antibiotics have been used at the farm. It’s a complex interaction between food safety, animal health and animal welfare – one that we are constantly monitoring and improving. Human health, safety, animal health and animal welfare all need to be careful weighed when making these kind of decisions.

We support only the most responsible use of antibiotics – on top of that, we strongly encourage farmers to consult veterinarians and follow guidelines when administering medication. CFC understands that consumers have concerns regarding antibiotic use and resistance, and we take our responsibility very seriously. CFC has: • Created a working group with representatives from throughout the chicken industry to examine ways to reduce antibiotic usage. • Worked with government to create an on-farm surveillance program for chicken, which will complement the current data from processors and retailers. • Invested in antibiotic alternative research, in collaboration with the industry stakeholders, to the tune of over $1.4 million which has been matched to over $5.1million. We also support the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, which works to develop antibiotic use guidelines for poultry veterinarians and the pathogen-reduction work being undertaken at the processing plants across the country.

We have indeed. CFC and the rest of the poultry industry have invested over $1.4 million in antibiotic alternatives research over the past few years. Among the research areas that received this funding were the study of antibiotics and their impact, the search for possible replacement treatments and much more. This funding represents nearly half of all research funding from the poultry industry. In addition to this, industry has spent a significant amount of money and resources developing and implementing the food safety program, working with government experts and organizing the industry to discuss the potential for further use reduction.

Many antibiotics have been misnamed “growth promotants”. Antibiotics do reduce mortality and morbidity and increase the health of the gut microflora – which helps birds stay healthy and continue to grow. A sick bird can be a food safety risk and will not grow at the same rate as a healthy bird. It is also important to point out that “growth promotants” do not refer to hormones. The use of hormones in chicken production has been illegal in Canada since the 1960’s.

Some people have cited the European Union example and asked us why Canada has not followed suit. Let’s be clear: the European Union has not banned the use of antibiotics. Governments in North America, as well as other countries, have been watching the European Union very carefully. Through a succession of bans, the European Union banned the majority of all feed antibiotics used for livestock agriculture. This is not a full ban on antibiotics, as antibiotics to cure sick animals can still be used. True, this approach has reduced the overall amount of medications being used, but now they have removed drugs that had little or no use in human medicine. The negative side to the EU story is that, as a result of the ban, there has been a significant increase in the amount of antibiotics that are closer to the ones associated with human medicine, specifically fluoroquinolones and macrolides. The debate rages on about this and the thought by governing officials of varying political stripes is that since public health is the most important objective, raising the use of antibiotics of human importance to be used can’t be the desired outcome. In Canada, nearly 95% of feed is purchased from feed mills, and any antibiotics incorporated into the feed must follow the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Compendium of Medicating Ingredient Brochures or have a veterinary prescription. In terms of feed antibiotics, a significant amount being used are generally Class IV antibiotics – this is a class of antibiotics that are not used in human medicine and have no human health importance.

To be honest, a full ban on sub-therapeutic antibiotics isn’t the answer yet. Remember, the majority of antibiotics used for chicken production are not the same antibiotics that are used for humans. The European experience has demonstrated that when ‘preventative’ antibiotics are banned and birds get sick, a higher dose of a more powerful antibiotic is required – these are antibiotics that are related much more closely to antibiotics used for human medicine.

We take these comments and views very seriously. We rely heavily on industry and outside experts to guide us. We also understand that it is very important to farmers to reduce resistance. So there is a significant benefit for us to work on this issue.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Here’s an example: since 1998, chicken farmers have implemented an On-Farm Food Safety Assurance Program (OFFSAP) to standardize on-farm food safety production practices whereby all farms receive yearly audits. A part of that program includes a reporting form that is sent with every flock that is sent to processing. Poultry farmers are the only commodity in Canada required to complete and send this information to CFIA veterinarians at processing plants. At the plant, the CFIA veterinarian verifies the form, which details all the antibiotics used to treat disease and the feed antibiotics used within the last two weeks. Additionally, as part of the annual OFFSAP audit, auditors audit the antibiotic usage and ensure withdrawal times are adhered to. Remember too, the majority of antibiotic use at the farm is overseen by a veterinarian, either at the feed mill or via the farmers’ veterinarian. All antibiotic usage is recorded as part of the mandatory food safety program. • The “flock sheet” is a form used by farmers to record specific information about such things as feed, any antibiotics, medications or vaccines used, number of birds placed, etc. • A preliminary sheet is sent to the processor 3 to 4 days ahead of the flock and the complete information is required on the flock sheet with the shipment itself. • If there were any serious violations (illegal processes, withdrawal times not adhered to, serious abuse, etc), the CFIA vet who works at the plant would not approve the slaughter of those birds and the farmer would not get paid. • Any farmers in violation of the on-farm food safety program can face stiff penalties Farmers are also actively involved in funding research examining antimicrobial resistance and alternatives to antibiotic use, to the tune of several million dollars. In 2010, we also established a working group with industry stakeholders with the objective of reducing antibiotic usage. The Public Health Agency of Canada, through the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS) which has been active since 2002, performs surveillance at processing and retail outlets to assess antimicrobial resistance trends. The CIPARS reports are used by industry and government to guide public health policy. Since 2009, we’ve worked cooperatively with the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS) of the Public Health Agency of Canada to establish a surveillance system on our very own farms. We’ve opened our doors to an outside, 3rd party body that will monitor antibiotic usage and resistance levels. The first step of this surveillance program is a pilot project funded by Chicken Farmers of Canada, in conjunction with OMAFRA and the Public Health Agency of Canada, at the University of Guelph. This project, which is currently operational, is testing the protocols and examining antimicrobial resistance issues between conventional and antibiotic free production.

Canadians know that chicken is a raw product, and that poultry needs to be properly handled and cooked properly. These are key cooking steps that have been used to educate the public for decades or more. Chicken is a raw product that needs to be cooked to kill dangerous bacteria. These same handling and cooking steps will kill even antibiotic resistant bacteria. For more on how you can safely prepare chicken at home, click here.

Yes. Consumers have ultimate power over this issue by using proper handling and cooking practices. The tried and true messages about safe handling and cooking – cook, clean, chill, separate – are well-founded and applicable to this situation. For more on how you can safely prepare chicken at home, click here.

No – Consumers should be confident that chicken is free of antibiotic residues. Testing has revealed no violations in residue levels in many, many years. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is involved in monitoring for antimicrobial residues and for monitoring antimicrobial use and withdrawal periods by way of the CFIA veterinarians at federal processing plants. Federal regulations (CFIA Meat Hygiene Manual of Procedures, Chapter 19, section 3.4.2) require chicken farmers to report all antibiotics that have been used for each flock prior to the birds being processed. CFIA veterinarians verify these reports to determine that antibiotics were used as per their label or with a veterinary prescription and that the antibiotics are being used at the appropriate dosage for the appropriate application. Any product failing this investigation is not allowed on the market.

Canadians are well served with CFC’s on-farm food safety program. We have created an auditable on-farm food safety program, called Safe, Safer, Safest that combines good production practices and internationally recognized principles into raising chicken for meat in Canada. Chicken farmers in Canada are audited annually on this program. In this program, antibiotic use is inspected and audited with every flock that is sent to processing. A reporting form is sent to the CFIA veterinarian ahead of each flock detailing all the antibiotics used to treat disease and the sub-therapeutic antibiotics used within the last two weeks. Additionally, as part of the annual OFFSAP audit, auditors audit the antibiotic usage and ensure withdrawal times are adhered to.The on-farm food safety program is a credible program that has received technical recognition from the federal, provincial and territorial governments.

Yes, you can access them by clicking here, here, here and here.

I’ve heard that chicken farmers are using an antibiotic called Ceftiofur – this is supposed to be important for human health. What’s up with that? These drugs are not used on a daily basis, and not used in all birds. When used, it is administered in one dose, usually in the egg, at the hatchery when needed. A lot of what you’re hearing about is from data produced in 2004 & 2005 - it is crucial to note that the industry has reduced the amount of Ceftiofur being used since that time. In fact, more recent government reports indicate that Ceftiofur resistance has significantly decreased since 2004. These results demonstrate that the food safety system is working. Surveillance program have indicated potential issues, and the industry, in cooperation with government, has taken action. These actions continue to evolve as more information is collected.