Worries over the use of growth hormones in South African chickens are unfounded‚ the country’s poultry producers say — as they hit out at a European Union official who raised the concern at parliament in Cape Town.
“... Bird welfare and growth rates are optimized without the use of growth hormones. We are a better producer than most EU countries and a cheaper producer than all of them. Perhaps that is why they wish to deflect from the truth‚” said South African Poultry Association CEO Kevin Lovell.
He was responding today to a briefing before the portfolio committee on trade and industry at Parliament‚ where Dessislava Choumelova‚ EU counsellor for trade and economics‚ said there are serious concerns about South Africa’s ability to monitor the use of prohibited medicines and growth hormones in poultry and other animal species.
An unimpressed Lovell said in a statement that South African broiler producers have long committed to provide safe and high quality foods that promote human and animal wellbeing.
He said there are no growth hormones available for use in poultry anywhere in the world and therefore also not in South Africa. No growth hormones are registered under any of the two main statutory bodies governing stock remedies and medicines for use in poultry production – neither orally‚ nor through injection routes.
“In simple terms‚ no one can use hormones in poultry in South Africa and no one does.
“The allegations by the EU seem designed to cast false aspersions as to the practices of local producers.”
Lovell said in any event‚ most of the medicines SA producers do use were developed in the EU or the US and are merely registered in South Africa. “What the EU uses is generally what we use.”
Advances in the growth performance of the modern broiler chicken have been achieved through the genetic selection of superior poultry stock coupled to advances in animal nutrition aimed at optimizing the performance of the birds‚ he said.
“Bird management practices such as sanitation‚ lighting‚ ventilation‚ temperature‚ space and water have also been aligned with modern genetics and farming methods‚ and together with veterinary approved vaccines and poultry health medication‚ bird welfare and growth rates are optimized without the use of growth hormones.”
No growth hormones in SA chicken - Producers tell Europe to check their own backyards
Worries over the use of growth hormones in South African chickens are unfounded‚ the country’s poultry producers say — as they hit out at a European Union official who raised the concern at parliament in Cape Town.
“... Bird welfare and growth rates are optimized without the use of growth hormones. We are a better producer than most EU countries and a cheaper producer than all of them. Perhaps that is why they wish to deflect from the truth‚” said South African Poultry Association CEO Kevin Lovell.
He was responding today to a briefing before the portfolio committee on trade and industry at Parliament‚ where Dessislava Choumelova‚ EU counsellor for trade and economics‚ said there are serious concerns about South Africa’s ability to monitor the use of prohibited medicines and growth hormones in poultry and other animal species.
An unimpressed Lovell said in a statement that South African broiler producers have long committed to provide safe and high quality foods that promote human and animal wellbeing.
He said there are no growth hormones available for use in poultry anywhere in the world and therefore also not in South Africa. No growth hormones are registered under any of the two main statutory bodies governing stock remedies and medicines for use in poultry production – neither orally‚ nor through injection routes.
“In simple terms‚ no one can use hormones in poultry in South Africa and no one does.
“The allegations by the EU seem designed to cast false aspersions as to the practices of local producers.”
Lovell said in any event‚ most of the medicines SA producers do use were developed in the EU or the US and are merely registered in South Africa. “What the EU uses is generally what we use.”
Advances in the growth performance of the modern broiler chicken have been achieved through the genetic selection of superior poultry stock coupled to advances in animal nutrition aimed at optimizing the performance of the birds‚ he said.
“Bird management practices such as sanitation‚ lighting‚ ventilation‚ temperature‚ space and water have also been aligned with modern genetics and farming methods‚ and together with veterinary approved vaccines and poultry health medication‚ bird welfare and growth rates are optimized without the use of growth hormones.”
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