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JANUARY 2009 volume 114 number 1
Justification for administering feed additives
Our industry’s destiny is in our hands
Flock vaccination reduces risk of
Salmonella Enteritidis infection
Obtaining maximum performance from
cage installations
Industry News
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Justification for administering feed additives
By Dr. Simon Shane, Editor
Nutritionists and poultry health professionals are constantly faced with a
decision as to whether to treat flocks
by adding antibiotics or other approved
compounds to hen diets in the event of a
decline in production.
The Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) has the legal authority to approve
the use of all feed additives based on efficacy and safety criteria. Approved additives either alone or in combination are
listed in reference texts and specific details
on addition rates, the Material Safety Data
Sheets and statutory withdrawal periods are
provided by manufacturers. Statutory label
instructions must be followed and a review
of suppliers’ supplementary literature is
strongly advised.
FIGURE 1: BENEFIT COST RATIO FROM MEDICATION
Additive cost $/ton
100
90 86
$2 $4 $6 $8
80
70
60 57
50
40
30 28 29 28
22
2014
1010719
1042
0
10 30
20
Contribution margin (cents/dozen)
Required increase in egg production
Decision to medicate
The administration of an approved compound should be in accordance with the
FDA Principals of Prudent Drug Use for
Veterinarians. The decision to medicate and
the selection of the compound should be
based on a professional field diagnosis taking into account the clinical and post mor-tem examination, and then subsequently
confirmed by laboratory analysis of tissues.
Prescription presumes a formal client-pro-fessional (or company-employee) relationship with a knowledge of flocks and the
circumstances relating to the case.
Flocks medicated according to prescription by a veterinarian should be under the
direct control of the health professional.
The sensitivity of pathogens should be de-
The increasing cost of an additive, irrespective of contribution margin, reduces the
benefit to cost ratio.
termined to ensure that administration of an
antibiotic is appropriate and would be expected to result in a clinical response.
Drug classes not commonly used in human therapy should be selected to treat
flocks. Due attention should be paid to the
rules relating to extra-label drug use. Deviation from the Prudent Principals, involving
frequent and inappropriate medication will
potentially result in the development of
drug resistance which can reduce the efficacy of subsequent treatment with the risk
of transmission of drug-resistant pathogens
to the human population.
Cost versus return
The financial implications of medication
are frequently ignored in the desire to “do
something.” A series of calculations were
performed to determine the benefit to cost
