Making things clear: Science-based reasons that chickens are not fed growth hormones

• Myth: chickens are fed growth hormones to produce meat more efficiently.
• We examine the scientific bases.
• The use of growth hormones in poultry meat production is unrealistic.
• This information could be useful to educate consumers and professionals.

BackgroundGlobal public concerns about “industrial agriculture” have widely disseminated amongst consumers the myth that chickens are fed growth hormones to produce meat more efficiently. This misleading information regarding the use of hormones in chickens is now a growing health concern among consumer groups.Scope and ApproachWorldwide, the poultry industry relies on science and technology to define new strategies to improve the health, welfare and performance of animals in production. In this report, we performed a detailed analysis of the poultry science literature and provide the scientific bases explaining why chickens are not feed hormones.Key Findings and ConclusionsThe use of growth hormones in poultry meat production does not occur because: i) they are too expensive to be used in chickens, ii) they do not promote growth in poultry and iii) their use is illegal in many countries. Therefore, health providers, policy makers, food professionals, consumer advocates, food producers and veterinarians can use this information to educate consumers and eliminate negative concerns related to hormone use in the poultry industry.