Enhancing poultry value and performance with drug-free ration.

There are so many schools of thought on the use of drugs, growth promoters in animal feed, with every thought claiming a better advantage over the other. The use of in- feed medications has been an issue for a while, but more and more people are opting for animals raised without in-feed medication , thus resulting in many major feed millers switching to feed production without medication. The C.E.O of Fischer feeds in Ontario, Canada is one of such; he decided to stop using in-feed anticoccidials in his feed mill ,his strategy was to put more emphasis on nutrition ,particularly in the early stages of chick development and to keep coccidiosis in check, relying more on a live- oocyst vaccine. Dr. Rae Fischer, says he “hates putting chemicals and antibiotics in feed”, he told CocciForum magazine in 2005 (issue 11).He says “I want the emphasis to be on good nutrition programs with quality raw materials, ingredients and processing.” He added that poultry raised without antibiotics is what consumers want and the producers should embrace drug free production. Dr. Fischer was prompted to shift to non medicated feed production for the following reasons; a) Consumer demand: more and more people are clamoring for birds raised without antibiotics. b) Better implementation of science: Dr Fischer felt that medications in feed were not the best way to keep enteric diseases at bay. c) Market report: there has been a lot of feedback stating that this results in resistance after prolonged use. Dr Fischer further explained that the use of antibiotics may result in insult to livestock thus resulting in animals with diseases that are not visible to the eye but are subsequently passed on to consumers. Feeds without medication shifts focus to good management, nutrition and vaccination as a means of promoting good intestinal health.