The antibiotics the food group is removing, the antibiotics class macrolides, have been classified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as being critically important to human health.

Their removal from poultry will therefore help to preserve their effectiveness for humans.

Antibiotics are used in poultry production to treat and prevent infectious diseases and safeguard poultry health and welfare. However, there is a risk that antibiotic use in animal agriculture contributes to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can spread to humans and make standard treatments of infectious diseases ineffective.

For the past two years, 2 Sisters Food Group has not used three of the antibiotic classes the WHO identified as critically important to human medicine - the third and fourth generation cephalosporins or fluroquinolones. This latest move by the food group adds a fourth class to the list.

Ranjit Singh, CEO of 2 Sisters Food Group, said, “As a responsible and forward thinking organisation, we are keen to lead on this increasingly important issue and take a stand which we feel is pragmatic and sensible.

“We are committed to ensure that we use all medicines, including antibiotics, in a responsible manner across the farms that supply us, and lead the industry in delivering a strategy which protects both animal and human interests, now and in the future.”

2 Sisters Food Group also announced it will establish two trial farms, fully supervised by company veterinary surgeons and independent agricultural experts.

The farms will focus on practical research to help develop and roll out on-farm techniques and health and management practices that will reduce the industry’s need for antibiotics in the future.

Michelle Waterman, 2 Sisters’ Group Agriculture Director, said, “Our plan is also about replacing antibiotic use with other interventions wherever possible. This includes use of vaccinations and changes to husbandry and biosecurity techniques. Our strategy is continually refined through the use of trial locations to see what works best.”