McDonald’s has announced a plan to source poultry raised without antibiotics important to human medicine, according to Drovers CattleNetwork. The fast food company has also introduced its Global Vision for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Food Animals, which implies it will extend similar policies in the future on its beef, dairy and pork supply chains.
The company said its chicken producers will still be able to use antimicrobials not used in human medicine. This gives chicken growers the option to use ionophores, which are used to prevent and control coccidiosis, a protozoan disease which can limit growth and feed efficiency, and damage the immune system.
According to the story, suppliers will continue to treat sick chickens as needed with prescribed antibiotics, but treated birds will be removed from the company’s supply chain and marketed elsewhere.