Chitwan, October 31

Experts participating in a three-day international poultry symposium have expressed their concern about growing antibiotic resistance in bacteria owing to misuse of antibiotics in animals and birds.

Speaking at a programme organised to draw the conclusion of the symposium held from October 28 to 30 in Bharatpur today, experts voiced such concerns and suggested that an integrated approach be adopted to mitigate the threat to lives of animals and birds.

“People think that a poultry farmer doesn’t need any prescription to get antibiotics from a vet. Vets should be permitted to sell antibiotics only against doctor’s prescription,” said symposium coordinator and Agriculture and Forestry University Dean Professor Dr Sharada Thapaliya.

Further, the symposium also underscored the need for further researches in order to minimise the cost of poultry production in the country. Besides, better partnership and coordination among various stakeholders, universities, Nepal Agriculture Research Council and private sectors, was also sought for the development of the poultry sector.

Likewise, experts also laid emphasis on the need to protect and promote native chicken species.