Source: Lisa M. Keefe, MEATINGPLACE, 8/9/16

Cargill has stopped using gentamicin in some of its newly hatched, conventionally raised turkeys (they still will be treated with antibiotics for control and treatment of disease), and plans to roll out a new brand of turkey products in 2017 featuring meat from no-antibiotics-ever flocks, the company said in a news release.

Reducing antibiotic use in its turkey business is a way that Cargill is "making good on its promise of ongoing reductions in their overall use," the news release said. Turkey products marketed under the brands Honeysuckle White and Shady Brook Farms, whose birds were not treated with gentamicin when they hatched, will become available in stores by Jan 1, 2017.

“To successfully meet the increasing demand from our customers for antibiotic-free turkey, we start with a larger number of birds than required knowing a percentage may become ill, require antibiotics and be removed from our antibiotic-free turkey program,” said Tim Maupin, head of turkey agriculture operations for Cargill.  “We have an obligation to treat turkeys that get sick because we want healthy birds and it’s the right thing to do.”

Underscoring its commitment to reduce antibiotic use for food animals, in March Cargill announced a 20 percent reduction in shared-class antibiotics — those used for human and animal health — used at four beef cattle feed yards owned by the company, as well as five additional feed yards owned by alliance partners that provide Cargill with cattle.

Gentamicin, which is used in both animal and human health applications, is usually given to newborn turkey poults at a dosage to prevent disease and help ensure healthy birds during the critical period after hatching, Cargill explained.

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