The goal of these directives is to optimise antimicrobial efficacy while minimising resistance through sound production practices, according to Poultry Health Today.

With a focus on preventive practices and informed decisions, the guidelines offer several management steps for veterinarians and poultry producers in regard to antimicrobial use.

The guidelines encourage:

• managing the environment to create healthy living conditions
• maintaining strict biosecurity between houses
• testing to identify disease-causing organisms before beginning treatment
• following label instruction for antimicrobial use with extra-label use as a final treatment option, and
• limiting the use of critically important antimicrobials (cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, macrolides and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) to a last-resort scenario.

When antimicrobials are needed on a farm, mortality and morbidity rates should be evaluated to determine the most effective treatment program.

According to the AAAP-AVMA guidelines:

• Treatment should be limited to the least number of birds possible.
• Narrow-spectrum antimicrobial treatment is recommended whenever possible to avoid overuse of broad-spectrum antimicrobials.
• FDA-approved antimicrobials may be used in feed by veterinarians following approved label use guidelines and withdrawal times.
• Use of medically important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals should be limited to uses considered necessary for assuring animal health.
• Medically important antimicrobial drugs in food-producing animals should include veterinary oversight or consultation.
• Extra-label drug use of in-feed antimicrobials is not permitted.