A perspective on the use of antibiotics in animal feeds.

Abstract

During the past 5 years the veterinary pharmaceutical industry has spent millions of dollars reproving the safety and value of the use of antibiotics in animal feeds. Perhaps a look at the history of the use of antibiotics in animal feed would be instructive. The use of antibiotics in animal feed to improve growth and feed efficiency originated with Jukes and Stokstad in 1949 (Jukes, 1972). Commercialization occurred in 1950 and the use has increased steadily since that time. In 1973 (U.S. Tariff Comm., 1974), the total production of all antibiotics for animal feed and other non-medical uses in the United States was 8.2 million pounds. This can be compared with the total of 12.6 million Ib produced for medicinal use. By 1955 many scientists, all over the world, realized that it was time to review the results of the work to that data and to assess benefits and risks.