Explain how antimicrobial growth promoters’ function in animal production. Discuss why their continued use poses a risk to global public health.
Kartavya Desk Staff
Topic: Bio-technology
Topic: Bio-technology
Q5. Explain how antimicrobial growth promoters’ function in animal production. Discuss why their continued use poses a risk to global public health. (10 M)
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: IE
Why the question: India’s recent FSSAI ban on antibiotics in food production and rising AMR cases globally have made it urgent to understand the role of growth promoters and associated public health risks. Key Demand of the question: Explain the scientific functioning of antimicrobial growth promoters in animal production and analyse the emerging risks their continued use poses to human health worldwide. Structure of the Answer: Introduction: Briefly introduce the discovery and early use of antibiotics as growth promoters and highlight how they became integral to industrial livestock production. Body: How antimicrobial growth promoters’ function in animal production: Mention the suppression of harmful bacteria, improved nutrient absorption, better feed efficiency, and reduced subclinical infections. Why their continued use poses a risk to global public health: Discuss AMR acceleration, resistance gene transfer to humans, inefficacy of critical antibiotics, economic burden, and food security threats. Conclusion: Call for urgent reforms balancing livestock productivity and human health, highlighting One Health and global cooperation frameworks.
Why the question: India’s recent FSSAI ban on antibiotics in food production and rising AMR cases globally have made it urgent to understand the role of growth promoters and associated public health risks.
Key Demand of the question: Explain the scientific functioning of antimicrobial growth promoters in animal production and analyse the emerging risks their continued use poses to human health worldwide.
Structure of the Answer:
Introduction: Briefly introduce the discovery and early use of antibiotics as growth promoters and highlight how they became integral to industrial livestock production.
• How antimicrobial growth promoters’ function in animal production: Mention the suppression of harmful bacteria, improved nutrient absorption, better feed efficiency, and reduced subclinical infections.
• Why their continued use poses a risk to global public health: Discuss AMR acceleration, resistance gene transfer to humans, inefficacy of critical antibiotics, economic burden, and food security threats.
Conclusion: Call for urgent reforms balancing livestock productivity and human health, highlighting One Health and global cooperation frameworks.