European Union debate: Antibiotics in animal feed need more stringent approach

About 50 percent of the antibiotics administered to animals in Europe. Result is the increasing antibiotic resistance of pathogens, experts warn. The EU Parliament is now demanding responses. The EU parliament on Tuesday called for increased efforts to combat the increasing antimicrobial resistance in animals.

The use of antibiotics in animal husbandry should be limited "to the minimum necessary”. To curb the problem in the long term, the parliament also called for increased research into alternatives, including vaccinations. Needed are guidelines on the proper use of antibiotics, which should apply across the EU should be controlled accordingly. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little, The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine and the International Milling Directory from Perendale Publishers

Antibiotic misuse in China underestimated

Antibiotics added to the feed of livestock to increase productivity are not just limited to clenbuterol, and authorities are largely blind to such adulteration, according to an industry insider. A scandal uncovered last month involved pork produced by Shuanghui Group, China's largest meat producer, which was tainted with clenbuterol, which had been added to pig feed.

"In 2006, of 210,000 tons of antibiotics produced in China, 97,000 tons were directly used in livestock feed," said professor Xiao Yonghong, head of the National Antimicrobial Resistant Investigation Net under the Ministry of Health. Xiao said that the misuse of antibiotics can be disastrously detrimental to a wide range of people. Read more ...

This blog is written by Martin Little The Global Miller, published and supported by the GFMT Magazine and International Milling Directory from Perendale Publishers