Antibiotics being fed to Chicken. And we have more than one reason to worry.

In India, one-third of the population is vegetarian, and many people who do eat non-vegetarian food don’t eat beef, or pork, or both, making chicken the most popularly consumed meat here. According to a report by Bloomberg, consumption of chicken has multiplied 14 times since 1985!

Broiler companies are giving farmers antibiotics for the chickens.

The Bloomberg report claims that SR Group, a broiler company, gives farmers chicks to raise, and then buys them back when they are ready for slaughter. Along with the chicks, the broiler company allegedly also gives the farmers chicken feed and antibiotics for the chickens.

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SR Group has denied the allegation, saying that they only use antibiotics when it is imperative and that they employ 20 trained veterinarians to monitor antibiotic use. “Nobody uses antibiotics unnecessarily because we are professionals. We are not illiterate farmers. We know what we are doing,” said S. Ravinder Reddy, the company’s technical director.

These antibiotics are harmful because they are promoting antibiotic resistance.

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Antibiotics are drugs that kill bacteria and therefore help us fight bacterial infections. Without them, everything from a simple hip replacement surgery to an organ transplant could be fatal. 

So then, why is giving chickens antibiotics a bad thing? Well, because of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics are effective when they are used sparingly. Taking them too often gives the bacteria a chance to adapt and mutate itself. The antibiotic becomes useless against that bacterial infection, and we can no longer cure it. 

According to the WHO, antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to health today.

"The rise of antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis. More and more governments recognise (it as) one of the greatest threats to health today," said Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of the WHO. She warned that if left unchecked, drug resistance "will mean the end of modern medicine as we know it."

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However, it seems like chicken farmers in India are doing the exact opposite!

Some of the antibiotics used in India are not approved for poultry in the U.S., Canada, E.U. and Australia. 

According to the Bloomberg report, SR Group is directing farmers to give chickens anywhere from three to five antibiotics over six weeks, starting from the day the chicks are delivered! One of these antibiotics is the only cure for extremely dangerous bloodstream infections in human beings.

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A study by researcher Ramanan Laxminarayan estimates that 58,000 newborn babies died in 2003 in India due to bacterial infections that can't be treated by antibiotics. Microbiologists in Telangana studying the spread of bacteria in hospitals found that 6.7% of bacteria were resistant to all antibiotics. 

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Along with people like Laxminarayan, ArtyManav says India needs better regulations to control the use of antibiotics. Yes, the situation seems in control when you grab a pack of your favorite Chicken Shawarma or Butter Chicken, but we can't be waiting for the day when bacteria turns immortal. As the cliche lives on, prevention is better than cure (or the lack of it).

Peace!

Source: indiatimes.com