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A BBC One Countryfile survey revealed a "hidden mountain of drugs" after discovering that hundreds of tons of antibiotics were still being used in chicken production in the UK.
The British Poultry Council claimed that farmers had reduced their total consumption of antibiotics in the last six years by 82% – from 81 tonnes per year to just over 14 tonnes – in order to combat resistance to antimicrobials.
"Risk to human health"
BBC One's Countryfile however discovered the use of 281 tons of antibiotics called ionophores, which could pose a risk to human health and the environment.
John Reed, President of the British Poultry Council's Antibiotic Stewardship, says ionophores are considered food additives, not antibiotics, but activists worry the drugs will cause medical resistance to antibiotics .
Call for "better conditions"
Cóilín Nunan, from the Alliance Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics, said: "We are asking that ionophores be made only on prescription, but more fundamentally, we are asking that chickens be kept in better condition so that they can not be used. they do not develop, this terrible coccidiosis disease in the first place. "
Richard Williams, a Herefordshire farmer who says in the program that he is using more antibiotics to prevent illness, said: "The situation has changed over the past five years. used antibiotics twice, which equates to about a day and a half per cent of the birds we produce here.
"From the point of view of farmers, businessmen, antibiotics cost money, so if we can do without it, it's better for birds, it's better for me."
Presenting the survey, Tom Heap describes the risk of ionophores as "clearly debatable", adding, "The industry admits that it is antibiotics and activists We were told that we could not expect cheap chicken without them – down to your priorities. "
The survey is broadcast on BBC One at 6 pm on Sunday, March 31.
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