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Antibiotics in Animal Feed Pose an Urgent Threat

Published: July 18, 2008
Source : The Pew Charitable Trust press release
Karen Steuer, director of government operations for the Pew Environment Group, today issued the following statement in response to the House Energy & Commerce Committee mark up of the Animal Drug User Fee Act:

“The routine use of antibiotics in animal agriculture has long been a contributing factor in the rise of antibiotic-resistant disease. The Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production recently joined the World Health Organization, the National Academies of Science, and the Centers for Disease Control in pointing out how this practice squanders the effectiveness of life-saving medicines.

“Antibiotics are regularly added to the feed of chickens, hogs, and beef cattle to increase animal growth rates even though numerous studies have connected this practice to antibiotic resistant e-Coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter.

“The House Energy & Commerce Committee has started addressing an emerging public health threat that costs our already overtaxed health care system millions of dollars annually.

“Including improved reporting standards in the Animal Drug User Fee Act to address antibiotic resistance will help us understand the breadth of the problem. This is a good first step but more needs to be done. Removing antibiotics from animal feed is an urgent public health priority.”

The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a non-governmental organization headquartered in the United States that applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improving public policy, informing the public and stimulating civic life.
Source
The Pew Charitable Trust press release
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Aref Ben Ayoun
Aref Ben Ayoun
6 de enero de 2009
OK. Antibiotics in Animal Feed Pose an Urgent Threat?
Helga Dietrich
Organic Farm & garden Supplies
2 de agosto de 2008
Hi. I am here in South Africa and always preaching the same argumentation. I even go a step further: Besides the mentioned side or non effects due to administration of so-called growth hormones we must also think of the detremental effect these residues have on the soil microbes (further desertification), the water, the animals and humans. We are becoming more and more immune against antibiotics. But what I see nowhere mentioned is the fact that by giving these young animals, calves, piglets, chicken, ostriches etc. their upbringing and life sustenance is much more expensive as one does not allow them to build up an own strong immune system. The readers should just imagine for a moment if their mothers would have given them from right after birth on antibiotics for no apparent reason - they would be a type of a zombie now, continuously needing medication - what life is this. The stock farmers can safe millions by using instead of antibiotics (which should only be adminstered when there is a real health need and then only when the animals life is threatened) a natural product that achieves exactly the same but has nothing whatsoever to do with chemicals. I am working with this product for 15 years with only the best results and our technology is available in more than 50 countries - I hold the sole rights for Africa. Besides excellent reports from many countries which are of course available I would like to draw your attention to India where a colleague of mine had a video made that shows in word and picture the extremely positive results large and small dairy farmers have there with our technology. One must keep in mind that there are many people who earn their living with only two or three cows and for them additional costs are not be affordable. They all state that there costs have ped, they have lesser somatic cell counts, more fat, healthier animals and where farmers had constant conceiving problems this has also changed totally. Another very important point for them is that they dont seem to need the vet anymore and calving is smooth and easy. There are other important side effects as e.g. the manure is more aerobic and thus the pastures experience a healthy fertilizing effect especially if one disperses once or twice a year the pings with a harrow - fertilization becomes more even - and cows suddenly eat the dark green grass growing out of the pings - something they will usually not touch. And dont forget the positive effect it has on the ground water - no pathogenic contamination anymore. With other words there are ways, successful ways without growth hormones (antibiotics). Anyone interested must please contact me. Institutes, Universities etc. which want to undertake trials please also contact me.
Dale Fuller
Dale Fuller
23 de julio de 2008
Where is the science behind this article? It seems that certain people want to blame the animal food industry for antibotic restistance in humans. Could it be that humans are too weak!
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