coccidiostats

I should like to say a few words about coccidiostats.

In particular, you had initially recommended that coccidiostats be phased out by 2008.

Coccidiostats and histomonostats control the health of poultry through direct effects.

What should our attitude be towards coccidiostats as a remedy against parasites for use with poultry?

You do not find out that a chicken contains coccidiostats until it is dead and by then it is too late.

There are of course now calls in this House for the use of coccidiostats to be permitted only when prescribed by veterinary surgeons.

I too think it is inappropriate, on the antibiotic issue, to give what amounts to a blank cheque for unrestricted use of coccidiostats in the future.

My position is that the rules imposed by this proposal will ensure that coccidiostats are used in a safe manner, respecting human and animal health.

I fully agree with the solution finally reached by Parliament in order to impose a close follow-up of the use of coccidiostats and histomonostats.

The aim must be to abandon the use of coccidiostats, but that cannot be done at once as they cannot yet be replaced by vaccination.

It is not plausible to ban antibiotics on health policy grounds if these health policy arguments then do not apply to the use of coccidiostats.

With regard to coccidiostats - substances used to prevent coccidia infections - the proposal contains stricter rules for their authorisation and placing on the market.

We also share the principle of continuing to consider coccidiostats and histomonostats as additives until we find other methods of protecting animals against those illnesses.

Diclazuril and Toltrazuril and other coccidiostats are being evaluated to treat EPM.

The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, as the committee responsible, wants coccidiostats and histomonostats to continue to be authorised for use until 2008.

Polyketide antibiotics, antifungals, cytostatics, anticholesteremic, antiparasitics, coccidiostats, animal growth promoters and natural insecticides are in commercial use.

I agree with Mr Kindermann that we must also ban the use of coccidiostats as feed additives and only permit their use as medicines.

Coccidiostats and histomonostats should not be authorised for use as feed additives; instead, they should be authorised, in the long term, as veterinary medicinal drugs.

The main point of the compromise is, however, the use of histomonostats and coccidiostats, which are antibiotic additives that will continue to be urgently needed in poultry farming.

As regards coccidiostats, these must be subject to controlled use as prescribed by a veterinary surgeon who is familiar with the situation in the farm concerned and can respond appropriately.

Coccidiostats now accompany the manure that is spread on the fields. In that way, they end up in our water supplies which, as we all know, are our most vital resource.

Allow me a few words on the controversial issue on which views were divided for a long time. I am referring to coccidiostats, which are substances used to prevent coccidia infections.

On the other hand, it does not appear to be necessary to ban coccidiostats, which remain essential in poultry farming, and on this point I support the latest provisions proposed by our rapporteur.

As regards the status of coccidiostats, I am aware that some take the view that coccidiostats should only be authorised as veterinary medicinal drugs and not as feed additives.

It was therefore of primary importance to us that we should today come to a decision in principle on what is to be done about coccidiostats and histomonostats, and, in this, the sequence of events was, ultimately, of only secondary importance.