Hormone and Antibiotic Claims
Requirements and guidance can change. Always verify current requirements with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Government of Alberta and other applicable authorities before using a claim or label commercially.
Hormone and antibiotic claims are often compressed into a few words on a package or farm website. Those few words can hide important differences in animal management.
Hormonal growth promotants are approved for beef cattle in Canada
Health Canada authorizes certain hormonal growth promotants for use in beef cattle.
A farm using approved implants is operating within a recognized Canadian production system when those products are used according to their approvals.
“Hormone free” is not appropriate terminology
Animals naturally contain hormones. CFIA guidance therefore does not accept a simple “hormone free” claim.
Claims such as raised without the use of added hormones have defined criteria and more accurately describe the production practice.
Antibiotic claims are a separate issue
A farm’s hormone practices do not tell you its antibiotic practices.
Likewise, a statement about antibiotic use does not tell you whether hormonal growth promotants were used.
Treating a sick animal is an animal-care decision
Some producers use antibiotics when medically necessary and follow applicable withdrawal periods before an animal can enter the food supply.
Other marketing programs may require an animal that receives treatment to be removed from that particular program.
“No routine antibiotics,” “raised without antibiotics” and “antibiotics used when medically necessary” do not necessarily describe the same management system.
Withdrawal periods matter
Veterinary drugs have conditions of use, including withdrawal requirements where applicable. These are intended to ensure residues comply with Canada’s food-safety requirements.
PureBeef reports practices separately
Where reliable information is available, PureBeef separates hormone practices, antibiotic practices, vaccinations and other animal-management information rather than treating them as one claim.
- Health Canada – Hormonal Growth Promoters
- Health Canada – Veterinary Drugs
- CFIA – Method of Production Claims
Last reviewed: September 2026.