BAU scientists go for safe broiler

Poultry scientists of Bangladesh have been successful in producing safe broiler chickens and are at the first stage of supplying their product to local restaurants.

Poultry scientists of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) said this at a press conference at Mymensingh Press Club auditorium yesterday.

Small-scale production has been started, maintaining all steps to make the chickens free from different types of harmful ingredients, the scientists said.

They said the chickens available in the market are not free from antibiotics and their feed contains harmful chemicals.

Prof Md Akhtaruzzaman Khan of Poultry Science Department of Faculty of Animal Husbandry at BAU said a group of 19 masters students of the department are now working for safe chickens. “I, along with some other professors of the faculty, am assisting the students with consultation,” said Khan.

“We also monitor the Safe Broiler Farm set up at Kazirshimla in Trishal on regular basis to check whether there is anything harmful for human health in the chickens,” Khan said.

“We started our mission to produce safe broiler chicken and we have been successful,” claimed masters student Ahsan Habib, a member of the farm.

Habib also said their chickens are free from antibiotics, adding that they use herbal medicines instead of synthetic medicines.

“We also prepare the feed using natural ingredients, including 'neempata,” and maintain strict bio-security in all respects,” said Prosenjit Mondal, another member of the farm.

The price is a little higher than that of broiler chickens available in the market as the production cost is also higher, the scientists said.

Later, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Safe Broiler Farm and local restaurant Avanti.

Prof Mohammad Anowar Hossain of the Department of Bio-Chemistry and Molecular Biology of the faculty of Animal Husbandry and restaurant businessman Khandaker Sharif Ahmed were present at the press conference.