In this episode, Dr. Michelle Kromm, with Food Forward, joins us to talk about antibiotic stewardship in turkey production. What it means, how farmers are preventing disease before it starts, and the role of tools like probiotics, biosecurity, and sanitation in keeping birds healthy. We discuss prevention and responsible care, and share the full story behind keeping our birds healthy.
In this episode, Dr. Michelle Kromm, with Food Forward, joins us to talk about antibiotic stewardship in turkey production. What it means, how farmers are preventing disease before it starts, and the role of tools like probiotics, biosecurity, and sanitation in keeping birds healthy. We discuss prevention and responsible care, and share the full story behind keeping our birds healthy.
Dr. Michelle Kromm with Food Forward explains that antibiotic use in turkey farming isn’t the first step—it’s the last resort. Farmers and veterinarians work together using a system of antimicrobial stewardship, which focuses on preventing disease so antibiotics rarely have to be used. That means investing in daily health practices like adjusting barn temperatures, ensuring proper ventilation, vaccinating birds against common illnesses, and maintaining strong biosecurity protocols such as handwashing, controlled barn entry, and sanitation between flocks. These small, routine actions—like checking water quality and airflow—add up to big impacts. And when antibiotics are needed to help a bird recover, they’re used carefully and responsibly, always under veterinary guidance.
Tools like probiotics also play a role in supporting healthy birds, but Dr. Kromm emphasizes having realistic expectations—probiotics aren’t medicine, and their benefits may take a few flock cycles to show. Clean environments allow probiotics to work better, which is why sanitation is considered the bedrock of stewardship. Farmers are doing everything they can to reduce the need for antibiotics, and they should be proud to share their stories. The industry is often judged on a single number—how many antibiotics were used—but that doesn't tell the whole story. Sharing the behind-the-scenes work helps consumers understand the dedication farmers have to animal health and responsible care.
Call to Actions: