Excretion of antibiotic resistance genes by dairy calves fed milk replacers with varying doses of antibiotics

Date
2012-01-01Author
Thames, Callie H.
Pruden, Amy
James, Robert E.
Ray, Partha P.
Knowlton, Katharine F.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Elevated levels of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil and water have been linked to livestock farms and in some cases feed antibiotics may select for antibiotic resistant gut microbiota. The purpose of this study was to examine the establishment of ARGs in the feces of calves receiving milk replacer containing no antibiotics versus subtherapeutic or therapeutic doses of tetracycline and neomycin. The effect of antibiotics on calf health was also of interest.