ARS Highlights Alternatives to Antibiotics for Animal Agriculture

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from Civil Eats:



ARS Highlights Alternatives to Antibiotics for Animal Agriculture

June 5th, 2012
By Helena Bottemiller


As concerns grow about antibiotic-resistant pathogens in our food, environment, and hospitals, the Agricultural Research Service is trying to figure out the best alternatives for food animal producers, who have long relied on these miracle drugs for combating diseases and boosting feed efficiency.

Though antibiotic resistance is a known consequence of antibiotic use in both humans and animals, agricultural use has come under greater scrutiny in recent years as more consumers take an interest in how their food is produced. According to the most recent estimates, around 80 percent of all antibiotics sold in the United States each year are used in food animal production.

Vitamins, phytonutrients, and probiotics are all being explored as viable alternatives, according to this month’s Agricultural Research magazine. Some of the findings will be presented by ARS researchers at an World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) conference in Paris in September.

“A number of the new technologies have direct applications as medical interventions for human health, but the focus of the symposium is animal production, animal health, and food safety,” said Cyril Gay, the national program leader for animal health at ARS, which is a U.S. Department of Agriculture program based in Beltsville, MD. “The result of this symposium will be an assessment of new technologies for treating and preventing diseases of animals and recommendations that will advance strategies for growth promotion and health in livestock, poultry, and aquaculture.” ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://civileats.com/2012/06/05/ars-highlights-alternatives-to-antibiotics-for-animal-agriculture/