Demedication at Grimaud Frères Selection “ANTIBIOTICS ARE NOT STANDARD PRACTICE”

On 27 March 2017 GRIMAUD FRÈRES SELECTION signed up to the SNA (French hatcherymen’s association) charter committing the company to the proper use of medicinal treatments. This commitment underpins the actions they already take which extend beyond the requirements of the charter.

To reduce the medication of livestock and particularly the use of antibiotics, the following workstreams were approved and refined many years ago by the technical team:

• Enhanced zootechnical knowledge and associated breeding methods because it goes without saying that animals which are bred in a comfortable environment, respecting their needs, are in better physical health and therefore less sensitive to diseases present in the environment.
• Making the most of nutritional knowledge to adapt food better to the needs of ducks to obtain the best physical constitution and to be more resistant.
• Influencing the breeding bacterial ecosystem using floral barriers and/or digestives allowing a protective floral bacteria to develop.
• Analysing health events to gain a better understanding of the causes, and implement actions allowing us to avoid recurrent diseases.
• Apply the adage “prevention is better than cure” by using autovaccination to prevent the most recurrent pathological bacteria.
• Be curious and innovative by using a phytogramme as well as an antibiotic sensitivity test to prioritise phytotherapy over antibiotic therapy.
• Use indicators to measure the effectiveness of these actions.

As a result, to date, we have noticed a regular reduction in the use of antibiotics. GRIMAUD FRÈRES SÉLECTION is really proud to be able to respond to the ecoantibio plan, by reducing the negative effect of medicinal practice in breeding which affects antibiotic resistance in humans, and by using healthier livestock and managing breeding costs more efficiently.