New Research Highlights U.S. Poultry Industry’s Antibiotic Stewardship Efforts

In a significant update, a comprehensive study released today by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) quantifies on-farm antibiotic use within the U.S. poultry industry. This research showcases the industry’s ongoing dedication to enhanced antibiotic stewardship and a commitment to disease prevention in poultry production.

“For many years, USPOULTRY’s board of directors has invested in this research, demonstrating the industry’s sustained commitment to science-based stewardship and the responsible use of antibiotics in poultry production,” said Nath Morris, president of USPOULTRY. “We value the continued engagement of our members and the numerous poultry organizations that have supported this study, whose long-term participation has enabled robust data collection and deeper insights into antimicrobial use patterns across the sector.”

Research Overview

Directed by Dr. Randall Singer, DVM, Ph.D., at Mindwalk Consulting Group, LLC and the University of Minnesota, this report encompasses data collected over 12 years for U.S. broiler chickens and turkeys (2013-2024) and nine years for layers (2016-2024). A previous report covering 2013-2023 was released in December 2024, alongside three peer-reviewed manuscripts concerning the collected data, which can be accessed through the Mindwalk Consulting Group website.

It is crucial to note that differences among broiler chickens, turkeys, and layers—such as weight, lifespan, and susceptibility to illness—render comparisons among them inappropriate.

Broiler Chickens: Key Changes (2013-2024)

• The percentage of broiler chickens receiving antibiotics in hatcheries has decreased dramatically from 90% in 2013 to less than 1% in 2024.
• In-feed antibiotic use classified as medically important has decreased significantly, with no tetracycline usage since 2019 and a reduction of over 99% in virginiamycin usage over 12 years.
• Water-soluble antibiotic use showed a substantial decline from 2013-2017, although a slight uptick in usage was noted from 2017-2024 due to increased disease incidents, notably from avian metapneumovirus. This virus led to secondary bacterial infections requiring treatment:
• Penicillin use decreased by 64% from 2013-2019 but saw a 27% increase from 2019-2024 due to gangrenous dermatitis.
• Lincomycin usage dropped by 66% from 2013-2020 but increased by 15% from 2020-2024 for similar reasons.
• Overall, tetracycline usage fell by 66% and sulfonamide use decreased by 81% since 2013.

Turkeys: Key Changes (2013-2024)

• Antibiotic use in turkey hatcheries declined from 97% in 2013 to approximately 45% in 2024, with a recent rise in gentamicin usage aimed at combating E. coli and other Gram-negative infections.
• In-feed tetracycline usage decreased by over 77% from 2013-2022 but has more than tripled since 2022, primarily due to secondary bacterial infections following avian metapneumovirus exposure.
• Water-soluble antibiotic usage also decreased from 2013-2019, with stabilization or increases observed from 2019-2024:
• Penicillin use dropped by nearly 50% since 2013.
• Lincomycin usage decreased by 58% from 2013-2019 but experienced significant increases from 2020-2024 due to gangrenous dermatitis and a shortage of penicillin.
• Tetracycline usage declined by 21% from 2013-2022 but increased again from 2022-2024.

Layer Chickens: Key Findings (2016-2024)

• Layer chickens typically begin laying eggs at 20 weeks and produce eggs daily until 80-100 weeks of age, making antibiotic use less prevalent due to withdrawal periods that prevent affected eggs from reaching the market.
• All chicks in the dataset received gentamicin at hatch, with most sourced from genetics company-operated hatcheries.
• Chlortetracycline (CTC) was the primary antibiotic used, mainly due to its zero-day withdrawal when administered in-feed, ensuring minimal disruption to egg production:
• CTC was mainly used in layer hens, with less than 0.1% of total hen-days exposed to it in 2022 and 2023.

Future Research and Funding

USPOULTRY will continue to support Dr. Singer in the annual collection of data from the broiler chicken, turkey, and layer industries, reinforcing efforts to improve antibiotic stewardship and understand the factors behind on-farm antibiotic usage.

This ongoing project is supported by annual grants from USPOULTRY and partly by a cooperative agreement with the USDA from 2016 to 2023. A new cooperative agreement between FDA-CVM and Dr. Singer began in September 2024, ensuring the continuation of this essential initiative.

For further details, please visit the Mindwalk Consulting Group website or view the updated infographic report here.

Source: US Poultry & Egg Association