Malaysian firm set to become first to produce antibiotic-free eggs

Kuala Lumpur, July 9 (ANI): A Malaysian company hopes to become the first in Asia to produce antibiotic-free chicken eggs.

According to The Star, Luheng Agriculture Technology Sdn Bhd has come up with a breakthrough formula using a concoction of herbs in place of antibiotics to prevent infectious diseases among chickens.

The company claims that it has taken two years of research and assistance from their business partners - Beijing Beinong Luheng Sci-Tech Development Co Ltd and China Agricultural University - to produce the powdered herbs using six types of herbal plants.

"Apart from boosting the chicken's immune system, the herbs can also help revitalise their reproductive organs and improve their digestive system," Chow, a company representative, told The Star after a media visit to the Beijing institute where the research was conducted.

Chow admitted that such herbs had been in existence for more than 10 years in China, but claimed they had not been used in chickens in place of antibiotics.

Chow said they were prepared to share their expertise with poultry farmers who were keen to use the herbs in their chicken feed based on certain quality control guidelines.

The farm has some 500,000 layer chickens that can produce about 300,000 eggs a day.

State Veterinary Services Department director Dr Wan Mohd Kamil Wan Nik confirmed that Luheng was the first company that had requested the department to run an antibiotic scientific test on its eggs. (ANI)