Estimates of on-farm antimicrobial usage in egg production in the United States, 2016-2021.

Very few data exist globally regarding the use of antimicrobials in the table egg industry. Antimicrobial use data from broiler chickens and turkeys cannot be used as a surrogate of layer chickens because of the fact that table eggs for human consumption are produced daily by laying hens. To avoid the possibility of antimicrobial residues in the eggs, there are very few antimicrobials approved for use in layers in the U.S. The objective of this study was to collect on-farm antimicrobial use data from the U.S. table egg industry and to have it be representative of the national layer flock. Participation was voluntary. Data were collected for the period 2016 through 2021 and are reported on a calendar year basis. Using production statistics from USDA:NASS as a denominator, the data supplied by participating companies accounted for 3,016,183,140 dozen eggs (~40% of national egg production) in 2016 and 3,556,743,270 dozen eggs (~45% of national egg production) in 2021. All of the replacement chicks placed on pullet farms during the study period were estimated to have received 0.2 mg/chick gentamicin at the hatchery. Most of the antimicrobial administration in U.S. egg production is