Antibiotic Prescribing Patterns for Poultry Respiratory Disease in Farms Across Plateau State

Respiratory diseases in commercial poultry, including Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis, and Mycoplasma infections, are often complicated by secondary bacterial involvement that leads to empirical antibiotic use. The pattern of antibiotic prescribing in these situations contributes to resistance selection in zoonotic pathogens and raises food safety concerns. This study surveyed antibiotic prescribing patterns for respiratory disease management in commercial broiler and layer farms in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. Data were collected through structured interviews with 40 poultry farm owners and 25 visiting veterinarians or livestock officers across Jos, Barkin-Ladi, and Mangu local government areas. Prescription records and drug purchase receipts were reviewed where available. Enrofloxacin was the most frequently prescribed antibiotic, used by 72.5 percent of respondents for respiratory disease management, followed by doxycycline at 65 percent and tylosin at 47.5 percent. Combination therapy with two or more antibiotics was practised on 57.5 percent of farms. Laboratory confirmation of diagnosis before prescribing occurred in only 17.5 percent of cases. Withdrawal periods were observed by 48 percent of farmers for broiler flocks but only 28 percent for layer flocks, where egg withdrawal implications were poorly understood. Antimicrobial resistance awareness was low among farm owners, with 62.5 percent unaware of the concept. These findings call for structured antibiotic stewardship education for Plateau State poultry producers and better integration of diagnostic services into farm management protocols. Keywords: antibiotic prescribing, poultry, respiratory disease, Plateau State, antimicrobial resistance.