Chickens are being pumped full of antibiotics in UK farms, investigation finds An investigation by BBC Countryfile has exposed the practice

Hundreds of tonnes of antibiotics are still being used in UK poultry farming.

Some 281 tonnes of antibiotics, known as inonophores, was sold in the UK in 2017, Countryfile has found.

Ionophores are used to prevent intestinal diseases in chickens however can lead to resistance to important medication for humans, some campaigners argue.

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Antibiotic ‘reduction’

Ionophores are reportedly not classed as antibiotics by the Vetinary Medicines Direcotorate and therefore considered “feed additives”.

British Poultry Council (BPC) chief executive Richard Griffiths said: “The British poultry meat sector’s drive for excellence in bird health and welfare has been delivering responsible use of antibiotics and safeguarding the efficacy of antibiotics across the supply chain.

“We’ve successfully reduced our antibiotic use by 82 per cent in the last six years and have stopped all preventative treatments as well as the use of colistin.

“The highest priority antibiotics that are critically important for humans are used only as a ‘last resort’.”

‘No impact on human health’

Mr Griffiths said the increase in the use of ionophores is in line with the growth in poultry production in the last four years.

He added: “The World Health Organisation, the World Animal Health Organisation (OIE), and the European Surveillance Programme of Veterinary Antibiotics have confirmed that ionophores have no impact to human health.

“The European Food Safety Agency has also scrutinised the use of ionophores and published opinions have deemed them safe to be used as a feed additive with no risk to humans.”

Farming strategies

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokeswoman said: “Since the launch of our Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy in 2013 we have seen a 40 per cent drop in the sale of antibiotics to the farming industry.

“We are continuing to work with farmers on this issue, and recently published a new five year plan to build on these results.

“While Ionosphores are not regulated as antibiotics in the UK, we are clear that they must not be used to compensate for poor animal husbandry practices.”

Additional reporting by Press Association