In 2007, many poultry companies in the USA began marketing ‘raised without any antibiotics’ products.[1] Though it is costly, the companies do so because consumers in rich countries such as the USA are willing to pay a premium price for these process-based characteristics.
In 2015, many fast-food chains in the USA announced that their U.S. restaurants would serve only animal proteins that had never been treated with antibiotics. This is a bold statement, as consumer and public health groups have pressured fast food chains to reduce antibiotic use in their sourced animals.[2]
Raising animals without antibiotics requires a good management system. Farmers must improve sanitation and management practices to prevent illness and death. These include: improving animal housing conditions, reducing population density, and providing probiotics and herbs in the feed. Achieving this is also possible under ecological ways of farming. It includes a wide range of crop and livestock management systems that seek to increase yields and incomes and maximize sustainable use of local natural resources while protecting the environment and minimizing the need for external inputs and land competition.
Currently, raised without antibiotics products are expensive or not available in low and middle-income countries. Moving to raise without antibiotics without proper management may lead to additional animal deaths. Also, it is possible that consumers’ awareness or buying power in low and middle-income countries is not high enough for the investment necessary to improve sanitation and management practices. It is likely that support from governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and society are critically needed before raised without antibiotics products are widely available in these countries.
Check out these videos about RWA:
Broilers Raised Without Antibiotics in Canada
The economic reason this chicken producer gave up antibiotics
References
1 Ritchie, H. (2014, September 10). Perdue Foods Sets New Standard for Antibiotic-Free Chicken. Retrieved from http://www.sustainablebrands.com/news_and_views/supply_chain/hannah_ritchie/perdue_foods_sets_new_standard_antibiotic-free_chicken?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=schtweets&utm_campaign=editorial
2 Smith, T. C. (2015, October 28). What does 'meat raised without antibiotics' mean - and why is it important? Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/10/28/what-does-raised-without-antibiotics-mean-and-why-is-it-important/?utm_term=.16618f6863fa