Antibiotics in Chicken Farming

Industrial chicken farming supplies affordable animal protein on a scale that dwarfs all other terrestrial livestock sectors, but the industrys historic reliance on antibioticsespecially the fluoroquinolone classhas accelerated the global antimicrobialresistance (AMR) crisis. Drawing on an extensive literature review methodology, this paper first examines contemporary broiler and layer production systems, then investigates why fluoroquinolones became integral to flock management, how resistance emerged at molecular and epidemiological levels, and which regulatory and technological interventions have proved most effective. Two contrasting case studiesthe Netherlands national antibioticreduction programme and Oxfordshires longrunning Campylobacter surveillance projectillustrate both successful stewardship and the stubborn persistence of resistant clones. A dedicated Future Research section then outlines promising avenues: genomic earlywarning systems, phage therapy, CRISPRbased antimicrobials, behavioural economics, and equitable financing for lowincome producers. The analysis concludes that aggressive antibiotic curbs need not undermine productivity when paired with vaccination, robust biosecurity, precisionlivestock sensors, and demandside market incentives. Closing surveillance gaps, accelerating vaccine innovation, and embedding OneHealth thinking across agriculture, public health, and trade remain paramount for preserving antibiotic efficacy.