The Vertical Transmission of Antibiotic Residues from Parent Hens to Broilers

Imprudent and superfluous use of antibiotics contributes to the selection of resistant bacteria, which is a large treat to human health. Therefore, methods have been developed to determine whether animals have been exposed to antibiotics, using matrices in which antibiotic residues persist for a relatively long time, like feathers. To be able to state that antibiotics were administered, other routes besides direct administration, through which animal matrices could contain antibiotic residues, should also be considered. There is a chance that residues from parent hens subsequently transfer to the new-born chick and are detectable in the next generation broiler. However, to what extent vertical transmission of antibiotic residues from parent hens to broilers occurs has not been studied before. In this research the vertical transmission from parent hen to broiler was investigated, including the analysis of eggshells of the hatched broilers, as this is another waste stream potentially reused for feed.