Updated research, supported by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), was released this week quantifying the U.S. poultry industry’s on-farm antibiotic use. The updated report shows continued improved antibiotic stewardship and commitment to disease prevention within poultry production. As part of its commitment to a transparent and sustainable food supply, the poultry industry works to balance the responsible use of antibiotics considered “medically important” to human health with the need to maintain healthy poultry flocks.
Key Changes Among Broiler Chickens Over the 2013-2024 Period:
- Broiler chickens receiving antibiotics in the hatchery decreased from 90% (2013) to less than 1% (2024)
- Medically important in-feed antibiotic use in broiler chickens decreased substantially; there has been no in-feed tetracycline use since 2019, and virginiamycin use has decreased more than 99% over the 12-year period
- Medically important water-soluble antibiotic use in broiler chickens decreased substantially from 2013-2017 and has increased slightly from 2017-2024. Increases were typically due to increased disease incidence, as seen in other countries as well, during the 2019-2024 period. For example, avian metapneumovirus has caused severe morbidity and mortality in some broiler flocks. Infection with this virus can lead to an increased incidence of secondary bacterial infections. Tetracycline antimicrobials have been used to treat and control these secondary infections but with limited efficacy:
- penicillin use decreased by 64% from 2013-2019 but has increased 27% from 2019-2024 due to increases in gangrenous dermatitis incidence; overall, penicillin use decreased 53% from 2013-2024
- lincomycin use decreased by 66% from 2013-2020 but has increased 15% from 2020-2024 due to increases in gangrenous dermatitis incidence; overall, lincomycin use decreased 71% from 2013-2024
- tetracycline use decreased by 66% since 2013
- sulfonamide use decreased by 81% since 2013
Under the research direction of Dr. Randall Singer, DVM, Ph.D., of Mindwalk Consulting Group, LLC and the University of Minnesota, this report represents a 12-year set of data collected from 2013 to 2024 for U.S. broiler chickens and turkeys and represents a nine-year set of data collected from 2016 to 2024 for layers. A prior report, covering 2013-2023, was released in December 2024. In addition, three peer-reviewed manuscripts were published by Dr. Singer in 2023 covering the data collected from broiler chickens, turkeys and layers.
Details of the study can be found at https://mindwalkconsultinggroup.com/. The updated infographic report can be viewed here.
