January 26, 2012

German pig farms closed due to antibiotic-laced feed

The southern German state of Bavaria has temporarily shut down at least 26 farms due to use of the banned feed additive chloramphenicol.

The antibiotic was discovered during regular residue control checks on urine from finisher pigs - this was announced on Friday (Jan 20) by the Bavarian State Office for Health and Consumer Safety (LGL). The pigs were fed using a by-product of dairy product manufacturer Ehrmann. This company was known to use chloramphenicol as a laboratory safety procedure.

The drug has been forbidden in the EU since 1994. Ehrmann has admitted that the residue product ended up in feed due to careless treatment of the laboratory trash. As a consequence, a senior staff member has been sacked - and the company promised not to use any chloramphenicol any more.

No consumers have been exposed to the drug, the LGL emphasised. The farms were located near the town Allgäu. Until last Sunday (Jan 22), only one farm had been told to 'open' again - as yet it is unclear when the other farms will be free to sell their pigs again. It is not known how many pigs are involved.