01-11-2015, 12:11 AM
What is Withdrawal Period?
When you give drug to a bird, some of the drug will end up in the egg and flesh of the bird, but after some days it will gradually vanish. Therefore withdrawal period for egg or meat is the time between when you last medicate the birds and the time when the drug can no longer be detected in the egg or meat. Different drugs have different withdrawal period as specified by the manufacturer. If the drug given is also used in humans, then any egg laid between this period have to be thrown away and the bird must not be killed and eaten.
![[Image: drugs-and-their-withdrawal-periods.gif]](http://www.farmersjoint.com/myimages/drugs-and-their-withdrawal-periods.gif)
Why is it Important?
Withdrawal period is observed only when the antibiotic given to birds is also used in humans. If you consume eggs or eat meats from birds that have been medicated with human antibiotic, the low concentration of the antibiotic in the egg or meat might create antibiotic resistance in you. When this happens and if fall ill sometime later, that antibiotic you’re resistant to will not be effective in treating your illness. An antibiotic can cause the bacteria in you to become resistant to some other antibiotics.
Observing Withdrawal Period is Wasteful
The withdrawal period can last for 2 days and for as long as 21 days! This is not much of a problem for meat birds, but for layers it means that all the eggs gotten during this period have to be thrown away! If you give it to your pet it can also lead to antibiotic resistance in them. Because of this great loss, many farmers in third world countries like Nigeria do not observe withdrawal period, but that doesn’t mean it’s not very important.
To help cut the waste, there are alternative antibiotics you can give without throwing your eggs away. These antibiotics have no withdrawal period because they’re not used in humans. Below are a few I manage to find:
• Tiamulin: Used against Mycoplasmas. There is zero withdrawal period for eggs.
• Hygromycin B: Acts against all 3 worms found in poultry, namely, round, cecal and capillary worms. Apart from chickens, it can also be given to turkeys, ducks, geese, pigeons and quail.
When you give drug to a bird, some of the drug will end up in the egg and flesh of the bird, but after some days it will gradually vanish. Therefore withdrawal period for egg or meat is the time between when you last medicate the birds and the time when the drug can no longer be detected in the egg or meat. Different drugs have different withdrawal period as specified by the manufacturer. If the drug given is also used in humans, then any egg laid between this period have to be thrown away and the bird must not be killed and eaten.
Why is it Important?
Withdrawal period is observed only when the antibiotic given to birds is also used in humans. If you consume eggs or eat meats from birds that have been medicated with human antibiotic, the low concentration of the antibiotic in the egg or meat might create antibiotic resistance in you. When this happens and if fall ill sometime later, that antibiotic you’re resistant to will not be effective in treating your illness. An antibiotic can cause the bacteria in you to become resistant to some other antibiotics.
Observing Withdrawal Period is Wasteful
The withdrawal period can last for 2 days and for as long as 21 days! This is not much of a problem for meat birds, but for layers it means that all the eggs gotten during this period have to be thrown away! If you give it to your pet it can also lead to antibiotic resistance in them. Because of this great loss, many farmers in third world countries like Nigeria do not observe withdrawal period, but that doesn’t mean it’s not very important.
To help cut the waste, there are alternative antibiotics you can give without throwing your eggs away. These antibiotics have no withdrawal period because they’re not used in humans. Below are a few I manage to find:
• Tiamulin: Used against Mycoplasmas. There is zero withdrawal period for eggs.
• Hygromycin B: Acts against all 3 worms found in poultry, namely, round, cecal and capillary worms. Apart from chickens, it can also be given to turkeys, ducks, geese, pigeons and quail.