Can turkeys and chickens be given antibiotics?

The use of antibiotics in poultry, such as turkeys and chickens, is a subject of significant importance and regulation. While antibiotics can be administered to treat sickness in birds, the prevailing practice emphasizes caution and adherence to guidelines regarding their use. This is largely due to concerns about antibiotic resistance and the potential impact on human health when animals are treated with antibiotics that are also used in human medicine.

In some contexts, antibiotics may be used for therapeutic reasons to prevent or treat specific diseases, but their routine use to promote growth or prevent disease in healthy animals has been widely discouraged and regulated in many regions. Thus, the best practice is to limit antibiotic use to necessary situations, aligning with regulations that prioritize animal welfare and public health.

The distinction between medicinal usage and general use is critical, and regulations often dictate that antibiotics should not be administered without clear medical need. This helps ensure that when antibiotics are utilized, they are done so responsibly and ethically, which aligns with the growing emphasis on sustainable poultry farming practices.