CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
There is increasing pressure to reduce or eliminate the use of antibiotics in poultry feed due to the claimed negative effects on human health arising from antibiotic resistance. In the United States, poultry producers are faced with a national regulation that prohibits the use of antibiotics (USDA, 2005). This has left poultry producers looking for alternatives to antibiotics that are relatively cheaper and with minimal residual effect. Use of antibiotic that might result in deposition of residues in meat, milk and eggs must not be permitted in food intended for human consumption. If use of antibiotics is necessary as in prevention and treatment of animal diseases, a withholding period must be observed until the residues are negligible or no longer detected.