Shire Foods Pty Ltd, Taren Point, NSW

Australian Chickens are not fed or given any hormones in any way. Their rapid growth naturally occurs due to improvements in the breeding cycle and the development of nutritional feed given to chickens. Independent tests have been carried out and confirm that Australian chicken is 100% free of any added hormones. It is illegal in Australia to use hormones in chicken. Australia does not import chicken or poultry meat. All poultry consumed in Australia is grown domestically . To protect the local poultry industry from diseases, Raw chicken and live chicken can not be imported into Australia. Australian Chicken feed for chicken growth is made up of 80-90% grains, such as wheat, sorghum, oats, legumes, barley, lupins, soyabean meal, canoal and oilseed meal. Hormones are not added to chicken feed and have been banned for well over 35 years. Antibiotics are used in chicken feed only when it is necessary to prevent disease, they are important to ensure the health and well beinging of chickens. Only when necessary they are administered in accordance with strict Australian regulatory authorities guidlines.(APVMA) No antibiotics residues have ever been found in chicken meat ready for consumption.