The demand for organic poultry meat and eggs is rising worldwide. Consumers are looking for healthier diets, especially in Europe and North America but not only. The label “antibiotic-free” could be an alternative to the constraints of organic certification. Nor-Feed is your premium partner for antibiotic-free quality poultry farming.

Growing demand for organic and antibiotic-free chicken and eggs

Poultry is the meat most produced in the world, and its consumption is growing much faster than other meats, thanks to the efficiency of its production system, the absence of religious prohibitions on poultry, and its image of “healthy meat”.

Meanwhile, consumers need reassurance on the quality of the product they buy. In France and Belgium, dioxin scandals that affected the chicken (1999) and egg (2019) industries strongly affected the market. Between 2015 and 2017, the production of organic poultry in France increased by 25 % and the production of organic eggs by 18 % (source: Synalaf[1]). The trend is similar in the US.

 “Antibiotic-free”: a new label that divides the industry

France has banned the preventive use of antibiotics for breeding in 2006, and has reinforced the control on curative antibiotics in 2012. However, not all farms can implement this law fully and easily.

To ensure a minimum level of quality and gain consumers’ trust, some French supermarkets such as Carrefour created in 2013 their own quality label for antibiotic-free packaged meat. This product is sold at a lower price than organic or Label Rouge meat, but is more expensive than standard products.

Organic producers are not keen to see the emergence of this privately certified label. They fear that consumers would start doubting the quality of “Label Rouge”, “organic” and “antibiotic-free” labels altogether if new scandals were to shake the industry in the future.

Is the label “antibiotic-free” ultimately market-driven and a risk for quality? The industry remains divided on the question. For sure, antibiotic-free farming is a good option to meet consumer demand while complying with industry regulations. Banning antibiotics can be a good start for qualitative farmers unable or unwilling to carry the large investments required for organic or Label Rouge conversion.

Nor-Feed, a natural alternative to antibiotics

Nor-Feed offer efficient solutions to raise broilers and laying hens without antibiotics. Try Nor-Grape® on laying hens as the polyphenols compensate oxidative stress, Nor-Spice AB® to stimulate Lactobacilli and animal growth, Norponin®XO to contribute to coccidial risk management without withdrawal period, and the Nor-Oleum product range to calm animal naturally and contribute to animal welfare.

[1] http://www.volaillesoeufsbio.com/fr/chiffres-cles-des-volailles-bio/