Copper is a natural antimicrobial material that, when added to pig feed, may promote the growth and health of the animals. Since pigs can tolerate high levels of the metal, researchers recently investigated whether copper might be used to promote their gut health and reduce the shedding of microbes to the environment.
Copper is a natural antimicrobial material that, when added to pig feed, may promote the growth and health of the animals. Since pigs can tolerate high levels of the metal, researchers at Texas Tech University in Amarillo recently investigated whether copper might be used to promote their gut health and reduce the shedding of microbes to the environment.the researchers report that small beads containing copper, when added to pig feed, effectively deliver the metal to the animal gut.
Calle and her colleagues selected 2 families of bacteria to study as indicators of how the copper changed the gut microbiome. One was Enterobacteriaceae,a large collection of microbes that includesand others, including many that can be pathogenic. The other family included lactic acid bacteria, which have been linked to health or nutritional benefits.
"Even though our desired target was to reduce levels of Enterobacteriaceae,the opposite happened," Calle said. She suspects that after the copper diminished levels of the lactic acid bacteria, the Enterobacteriaceaehad an easier time colonizing the gut.
Microbes And More Veterinary Medicine Microbiology Agriculture And Food Animals Wild Animals Soil Types
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