AMR Seminar Mullingar , November 2016

Vincent Carton – Managing Director

Tom Horan - Agriculture Director

Purpose

• The issues

• Why are antibiotics used?

• The current situation

• How to reduce usage

• The future

• Summary

The Issues

• How do we feed 10 billion people by 2050? – Larger scale, intensive production – Less farms; more automation

• Sustainability and traceability – Efficient conversion of feed grains into meat – Locally produced

• Fast growing genetics – Higher stress levels … greater disease pressure

• Welfare directives • Antibiotics are important

– we must have access to them to treat sick birds

World Population Trend

Growing Demand

Tom Horan - Agriculture Director

Small scale is finished?

UK Site >500,000 birds per cycle

Irish Site 100,000 birds per cycle

Sustainability - grain to meat

Genetic Improvement

Carcass Yield Improvements

Conformation Has Changed

Why Use Antibiotics?

• To treat flocks with high mortality, lameness, enteritis etc

• To reduce welfare issues e.g. wet litter, hock burn, podo-dermatitis

• To avoid the rest of the flock becoming ill

• To ensure flocks comply with EU Broiler Welfare Directive … avoid sanctions

Current Situation

• Antibiotics

– Post mortem and clinical diagnosis by a Veterinary Surgeon

– The history of the birds, the parent flocks and the farm is taken into account.

– Prescription for a specific product, amount and duration of treatment by house/flock

– Only administered through the drinking water – Antibiotics critical to humans are not used – Withdrawal periods strictly observed

How To Reduce Usage?

• Hygiene – Terminal

– Hatching Egg

– Hatchery

• Biosecurity – Foot dips, hygiene barriers, hand washing, change

of footwear

• Stress – Temp, CO2, humidity, ammonia, air speed etc.

Standards Are Important

Quality Assurance and Traceability

Poultry Products

Quality Assurance Scheme

Poultry Producer Standard Revision 01, June 2008

Older Housing

1970’s Housing

Modern Housing

Modern Ante-Room

Hygiene Barrier

Hand Washing Facilities

Secure Site

Dedicated Entrance

Easily Washed Site

Good Concrete Aprons

Proper Waste Storage Facilities

Clean Water Supply

Covered Foot Dips

The Future … Feed and Water

• Feed and Water

– Organic Acids, medium/short chain fatty acids

• Water hygiene (chlorination etc)

• Enzymes

• Emulsifiers, essential oils, herb extracts

• Probiotics and prebiotics

• Feed formulation (min crude protein, grist size etc)

The Future … Housing

• Learn from Danish & UK experience

– Some producers (25%?) may not be able to survive in the new scenario (Denmark)

• Upgrade housing stock

– Older houses need investment

– Improve heating and ventilation systems

• Implement RHI (Renewable Heat Incentive)

– to provide optimum environment (UK)

The Future … Consumer, Imports, Training

• The consumer may have to pay more

• Imports of unknown origin/standards

– country of origin labelling needs to be strictly enforced

• Irish based independent research …

– role for Irish Universities/Teagasc?

• More training for farmers

– Incentives?

Summary

• Many complex factors involved:

– Genetics

– Hygiene/Biosecurity

– Disease Control

– Stress

– Feed

– Housing/Environment (implement RHI)

Thank You