Impact of Raised without Antibiotics Measures on Antimicrobial Resistance and Prevalence of Pathogens in Sow Barns
The growing concern over the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in animal production as a result of extensive and inappropriate antibiotic use has prompted many swine farmers to raise their animals without antibiotics (RWA). In this study, the impact of implementing an RWA production approa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Antibiotics |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/11/9/1221 |
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| author | Alvin C. Alvarado Samuel M. Chekabab Bernardo Z. Predicala Darren R. Korber |
| author_facet | Alvin C. Alvarado Samuel M. Chekabab Bernardo Z. Predicala Darren R. Korber |
| author_sort | Alvin C. Alvarado |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The growing concern over the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in animal production as a result of extensive and inappropriate antibiotic use has prompted many swine farmers to raise their animals without antibiotics (RWA). In this study, the impact of implementing an RWA production approach in sow barns on actual on-farm antibiotic use, the emergence of AMR, and the abundance of pathogens was investigated. Over a 13-month period, fecal and nasopharynx samples were collected at 3-month intervals from sows raised in RWA barns and sows in conventional barns using antibiotics in accordance with the new regulations (non-RWA). Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was used to determine the prevalence of AMR and the presence of pathogens in those samples. Records of all drug use from the 13-month longitudinal study indicated a significant reduction in antimicrobial usage in sows from RWA barns compared to conventional non-RWA barns. Antifolates were commonly administered to non-RWA sows, whereas β-lactams were widely used to treat sows in RWA barns. Metagenomic analyses demonstrated an increased abundance of pathogenic <i>Actinobacteria</i>, <i>Firmicutes</i>, and <i>Proteobacteria</i> in the nasopharynx microbiome of RWA sows relative to non-RWA sows. However, WGS analyses revealed that the nasal microbiome of sows raised under RWA production exhibited a significant increase in the frequency of resistance genes coding for β-lactams, MDR, and tetracycline. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:54:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8c39d1369ed54809b5fc524404d0253b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-6382 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:54:56Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antibiotics |
| spelling | doaj.art-8c39d1369ed54809b5fc524404d0253b2023-11-23T14:45:03ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822022-09-01119122110.3390/antibiotics11091221Impact of Raised without Antibiotics Measures on Antimicrobial Resistance and Prevalence of Pathogens in Sow BarnsAlvin C. Alvarado0Samuel M. Chekabab1Bernardo Z. Predicala2Darren R. Korber3Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Dr., Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, CanadaPrairie Swine Centre Inc., Box 21057, 2105–8th St. East, Saskatoon, SK S7H 5N9, CanadaChemical and Biological Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Dr., Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A9, CanadaFood and Bioproduct Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, CanadaThe growing concern over the emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in animal production as a result of extensive and inappropriate antibiotic use has prompted many swine farmers to raise their animals without antibiotics (RWA). In this study, the impact of implementing an RWA production approach in sow barns on actual on-farm antibiotic use, the emergence of AMR, and the abundance of pathogens was investigated. Over a 13-month period, fecal and nasopharynx samples were collected at 3-month intervals from sows raised in RWA barns and sows in conventional barns using antibiotics in accordance with the new regulations (non-RWA). Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was used to determine the prevalence of AMR and the presence of pathogens in those samples. Records of all drug use from the 13-month longitudinal study indicated a significant reduction in antimicrobial usage in sows from RWA barns compared to conventional non-RWA barns. Antifolates were commonly administered to non-RWA sows, whereas β-lactams were widely used to treat sows in RWA barns. Metagenomic analyses demonstrated an increased abundance of pathogenic <i>Actinobacteria</i>, <i>Firmicutes</i>, and <i>Proteobacteria</i> in the nasopharynx microbiome of RWA sows relative to non-RWA sows. However, WGS analyses revealed that the nasal microbiome of sows raised under RWA production exhibited a significant increase in the frequency of resistance genes coding for β-lactams, MDR, and tetracycline.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/11/9/1221raised without antibioticsWGS metagenomicsantimicrobial resistance genesgut microbiomenasopharynx microbiome |
| spellingShingle | Alvin C. Alvarado Samuel M. Chekabab Bernardo Z. Predicala Darren R. Korber Impact of Raised without Antibiotics Measures on Antimicrobial Resistance and Prevalence of Pathogens in Sow Barns Antibiotics raised without antibiotics WGS metagenomics antimicrobial resistance genes gut microbiome nasopharynx microbiome |
| title | Impact of Raised without Antibiotics Measures on Antimicrobial Resistance and Prevalence of Pathogens in Sow Barns |
| title_full | Impact of Raised without Antibiotics Measures on Antimicrobial Resistance and Prevalence of Pathogens in Sow Barns |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Raised without Antibiotics Measures on Antimicrobial Resistance and Prevalence of Pathogens in Sow Barns |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Raised without Antibiotics Measures on Antimicrobial Resistance and Prevalence of Pathogens in Sow Barns |
| title_short | Impact of Raised without Antibiotics Measures on Antimicrobial Resistance and Prevalence of Pathogens in Sow Barns |
| title_sort | impact of raised without antibiotics measures on antimicrobial resistance and prevalence of pathogens in sow barns |
| topic | raised without antibiotics WGS metagenomics antimicrobial resistance genes gut microbiome nasopharynx microbiome |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/11/9/1221 |
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