'Antibiotics not a substitute for hygiene measures'

摘要

"WHILE THERE IS a lot of interest in antibiotic free production and optimising the production costs, I find the key determinant is the science behind the products usedand evidence of the efficacy value," said Mohan Saxena, speaking to Far Eastern Agriculture at VIV Asia 2017.Discussing the dangers of rampant usage of antibiotics in the industry, Saxena pointed out that while antibiotics has proven useful in fighting diseases in the history of medicine, the unfortunate truth is that these life-saving drugs are often misused as a license to avoid the health and hygiene in poultry farms. He pointed out that many poultry farms in the region operate in poor hygiene standards and resort to using high dosages of antibiotics to prevent bird mortality. "It is important to remember that antibiotics are for treatment, not health. Therefore the focus should be to find solutions that enhance immunity of the birds to avoid the diseases," he added.