Cargill scales back use of antibiotics by 20% in its beef supply

Cargill is eliminating the use of shared-class antibiotics by 20% in its beef cattle supply as part of its commitment to reduce the use of human antibiotics in food production.

According to the company, the decision to cut one-fifth of the antibiotics would affect nearly 1.2 million cattle every year.

The move has been implemented in the company’s four feed yards in the US states of Kansas, Texas and Colorado, as well as four additional feed yards managed and operated by Friona Industries, a strategic business partner of Cargill.

Friona Industries provides cattle to the American meat company, which processes these medically important antibiotics into ground beef and steaks.

This decision follows Cargill’s 2014 initiative to eliminate growth promoting antibiotics from its US turkey business.

Cargill Wichita-based beef business president John Keating said: "Our decision to eliminate 20% of the antibiotics used in our beef cattle, which are also used for human health, took into consideration customer and consumer desires to help ensure the long-term medical effectiveness of antibiotics for both people and animals.

"We need to balance those desires with our commitment to ensure the health of animals raised for food, which contributes to the production of safer food."

The company plans to examine and trial more alternatives to antibiotics in order to further reduce their use in its beef business.

Keating added: "Scientific research and yet-to-be-discovered innovative technologies could certainly help us further reduce, or eliminate, the need for antibiotics in the beef supply chain."

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Image: Cargill to reduce the use of antibiotics by 20% in its beef cattle. Photo: courtesy of tuelekza via freedigitalphotos.