What are the Benefits of Using Antibiotics in Animal Feed?
Agriculture in industrialized nations such as the United States is a highly competitive business. As with all capitalist ventures, production costs must be minimized and profits maximized in order for an enterprise to be viable. The use of antibiotics in animal feed has been a cornerstone in this economic plan for more than thirty years. In order to reduce the cost of caring for and feeding the animals, they are commonly housed close together in large groups. This increased population density tends to result in poorer health of the animals, but the use of antibiotics as feed additives compensates for the stress factors that result from overcrowding. Other common stress factors whose negative effects are partially mitigated by subtherapeutic administration of antimicrobials include shipping, substandard nutrition, and intensive breeding practices.
