Excessive use of antibiotics on broiler chicken farms

Most poultry farmers who rear broiler chickens administer unnecessary 'preventive' antibiotics to healthy birds.

These farmers are advised to use such drugs by dealers—middlemen who lack understanding of disease or appropriate treatment. Dealers encourage farmers to use antibiotics primarily to increase their own sales.

Experts state that unnecessary use of antibiotics on broiler chicken farms can render all bacteria present on the farm resistant to antibiotics. Many of these bacteria, such as Salmonella and E. coli, can infect humans. As these bacteria become resistant to antibiotics, treating human patients with such infections will become increasingly difficult.

Conversely, farmers who rear chickens under contract farming arrangements with poultry companies receive better advice and use fewer antibiotics. Company staff instruct contract farmers to implement 'biosecurity' measures that prevent disease. These measures include washing hands and feet before entering the chicken house and erecting a fence around it. Biosecurity measures help prevent germs from entering the chicken house. Contract farmers are advised not to administer preventive antibiotics to healthy chickens, as companies regard this practice as an unnecessary expense.

Imran Mondal (28), a graduate, established a farm near his home in Shanerhat village, Pirganj upazila, Rangpur district. He said, 'From the day I receive day-old chicks until I sell the chickens, I use antibiotics as the dealer suggests.' He pays his dealer around Tk 10,000 for medicines used in rearing 1,000 birds.

Noor Alam (38), a broiler farmer from Machhari in Kaunia, Rangpur, recounted that between 2014 and 2019, he purchased medicines from various brands but failed to prevent high mortality. 'I could not raise the chickens to the expected weight despite using antibiotics. However, at present I do not need to buy any medicine for rearing around 3,000 chickens, as I follow the instructions of the company staff, especially the veterinarian. They discourage me from using antibiotics and advise me to maintain biosecurity,' he said.

Moksedul Haque (44), of Baro Hashimpur village in Chirirbandor upazila, established a broiler chicken shed after losing his job during the Covid-19 pandemic. 'Fortunately, I have been advised by Kazi Farms staff on how to rear healthy chickens at low cost. They provided healthy day-old chicks and quality feed, guiding me to rear them without spending money on antibiotics,' he added. In the most recent production cycle, he earned a profit of Tk 71,000 from contract farming.

Ahsan Habib (46), a farmer from Binnakuri, Chirirbandor, said that while running a farm of 1,000 chickens for two years, he learnt the names of many antibiotic brands but failed to recover his costs. 'I was advised to use antibiotics three times during the growing cycle, and I later realised that the dealer was profiting,' he pointed out.

Dr Mohammad Neaz Sharif, a veterinary specialist working closely with farmers in the Rangpur region, observed that the use of antibiotics is legally prohibited unless prescribed by veterinary surgeons. 'Unfortunately, many farmers are unaware of the regulations or good farming practices. Marginal farmers are instructed by dealers to use antibiotics indiscriminately, aiming to prevent disease and achieve higher weights,' he said. He also noted that after administering antibiotics to broiler chickens, farmers must observe a "withdrawal period" before selling the chickens, otherwise "residual" antibiotics may remain in the meat.

Professor Zakir Hossain, of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), noted that excessive use of antibiotics on poultry farms poses significant public health risks. 'Some antibiotics are losing effectiveness. Farmers require proper training for the judicious use of medicines, especially antibiotics,' he recommended.