BYFERM: A viable alternative to the use of growth promoters in pig feed

摘要

The use of antibiotics in food animals has been discussed for many years now. Denmark was the first country in Europe which excluded the use of antibiotic growth promoters already between 1997 and 1999. Meanwhile the European Commission proposes to phase out all antibiotic growth promoters by January 2006. As a result of the exclusion of antibiotic growth promoters the use of therapeutical antibiotics in Denmark increased due to an increase in animal health problems, especially scours in baby pigs after weaning. Producers are therefore desperately looking for alternatives to the use of antibiotic growth promoters.