A farm feeding chickens with marijuana instead of antibiotics is fetching higher prices from consumers seeking organic poultry, researchers say

• A farm in Thailand has began feeding its chickens with hashish as a substitute of antibiotics.

• Researchers from Chiang Mai College say the experiment is exhibiting optimistic indicators.

• The chickens are fetching double the same old worth from shoppers searching for natural poultry.

A farm rising medical marijuana in northern Thailand has been feeding its free-range chickens with hashish as a substitute of antibiotics, and researchers stated the experiment has yielded promising outcomes.

Researchers from Chiang Mai College’s Division of Animal and Aquatic Sciences stated fewer than 10% of the 1,000 chickens on the farm in Lampang have died since they launched pot to the chickens’ weight-reduction plan in January 2021.

Whereas the research’s findings are nonetheless below evaluation and solely cowl one 12 months’s value of analysis, Chompunut Lumsangkul, an assistant professor who led the research, instructed Insider that the hashish feed seems to be working. The mortality fee for the chickens on the farm has been the identical as in common seasons when there is not a extreme outbreak of any bird-killing illness, she stated.

The birds’ particular meals is produced by including crushed hashish to their feed and water, stated Lumsangkul. No antibiotics and medicines are fed to or used on the chickens throughout this time.

Apart from wholesome chickens, the experiment has additionally allowed the farm to promote its birds for increased costs to shoppers in search of natural poultry.

The birds are fetching double the common worth, at about $1.50 per pound, largely as a result of consumers need natural chickens that have not been administered antibiotics, Lumsangkul stated. She additionally claimed that the chickens’ meat — which they name “GanjaChicken” — is extra tender and tastes higher than common chickens.

“Customers in Thailand have been listening to this as a result of demand is growing for chickens and plenty of farmers have to make use of antibiotics. So some prospects need to discover a safer product,” the assistant professor stated.

As a part of the experiment, Lumsangkul stated her analysis staff would generally give the chickens bolstered ranges of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the substance in marijuana that provides customers a excessive — that went previous the authorized limits for people in Thailand.

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Earlier this month, the Thai authorities legalized the sale of hashish merchandise however restricted the quantity of THC within the gadgets one can devour to 0.2%. By comparability, the chickens on the farm would generally stand up to 0.4%, Chompunut stated.

“I am unable to say the hashish would not let the chickens get excessive, however they exhibit regular conduct,” she stated.

Lumsangkul famous that it isn’t instantly clear what the complete advantages of feeding chickens hashish are, neither is it identified why the hashish is preserving the birds wholesome within the first place. Nevertheless, she stated it is seemingly that marijuana has bioactive compounds or substances that promote metabolic exercise and higher well being situations, that are boosting the birds’ immune techniques.

The research has solely been a “screening take a look at” thus far and the researchers have but to check if the hashish feed works to guard the chickens towards hen flu or different extreme ailments, stated Lumsangkul.

As for whether or not folks can get excessive from consuming cannabis-fed chickens, Lumsangkul stated there’s “no manner” this might occur. The THC is totally metabolized within the hen’s physique earlier than slaughter, so its type is totally modified by the point it will get to the desk, she stated.

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