It has been found that chicken in the state are fed with antibiotics. The drugs which are applied to check diseases in poultry eventually lead to weight loss. So the chickens are then sold out soon after they are given the drugs, revealed some poultry farmers in the state.
The Centre for Science and Environment which conducted a study in Delhi-NCR region has found several antibiotic residues in chickens. The use of antibiotics in poultry industry might be linked to growing antibiotic resistance in Indians, it observed.
In Kerala the chickens are made to gain 2 kilos of weight in 45 days after they are hatched and soon they are sent to market. The antibiotic is injected into the chickens to keep them in good health. The fat chickens are then sold to customers before the course of antibiotic is over lest the chicken would start loosing weight if its too late.
The chicken is thus consumed soon after the antibiotic is fed to it. Meanwhile feeds containing hormones are given to chickens to increase their weight. Sometimes rum and spirit are also given to the chickens to make them consume more feeds. Chickens which consume excessive quantity of feeds containing hormones may gain weight up to 4 kg.