Antibiotics in animal feed and their long term effect on bacteria in the local ecosystem

Antibiotics in animal feed and their long term effect on bacteria

in the local ecosystemCaleb Farmer, Kiki Godek, Jeff Gerdau

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Use of antibiotics on farm animalsPros

Animals grow bigger and faster.More profitable at slaughter.Fewer animal fatalities (more grow up for slaughter).Compensate for the stressful and unsanitary conditions of modern factory farming.

Cons

Over use of antibiotics can result in bacteria gaining a resistance to those antibiotics.

The same antibiotics are used for animals as well as humans, therefore if bacteria grow a resistance to these antibiotics we would also be affected.

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Needs for antibiotics in animal feed

• Since the advent of factory farms, animal by-products from slaughter houses have been recycled into animal feed, thus reducing costs. However this also raises the risks of infections and other diseases, such as mad cow disease, this is why antibiotics are needed in modern factory farms.

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Risks of using antibiotics in animal feed

• Some bacteria, dubbed “superbugs” have evolved an immunity to antibiotics due to being constantly exposed to antibiotics

• Most factory farms don’t use different types of antibiotics, they instead use the same type that are used by humans. “superbugs” are thus immune to antibiotics that are used in hospitals, etc.

• Another ecological effect of using antibiotics in animal feed is the fact that “superbugs” have the ability to out compete many regular forms of bacteria.

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Companies and their stance on the use of antibiotics in animal

feed• Many food companies, such as

McDonalds, Tyson foods, and Foster Farms have stopped using antibiotics in their animal feed.

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Questions• Why are antibiotics needed in animal

feed?• What are risks of over using antibiotics for

agricultural purposes?• What food companies have stopped using

antibiotics in their animal feed?

Citations

• Time for Agriculture to Kick the Drug Habithttp://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S869985-0-2743&artno=0000246436&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=&title=Time%20for%20Agriculture%20to%20Kick%20the%20Drug%20Habit&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=N&ic=N

• You Are What They Eat http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S869985-0-2743&artno=0000207991&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=&title=You%20Are%20What%20They%20Eat&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=N&ic=N

• Drug-Free Food http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S869985-0-2743&artno=0000174485&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=&title=Drug-Free%20Food&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=N&ic=N

• DOCTORS WEIGH IN AGAINST ANTIBIOTICS IN ANIMAL FEED http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S869985-0-2743&artno=0000138175&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=&title=Doctors%20Weigh%20In%20Against%20Antibiotics%20in%20Animal%20Feed&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=N&ic=N

• FDA Bans Use of Baytril in Poultry http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=S869985-0-2743&artno=0000218091&type=ART&shfilter=U&key=&title=FDA%20Bans%20Use%20of%20Baytril%20in%20Poultry&res=Y&ren=N&gov=N&lnk=N&ic=N