Abstract: Withdrawal of Antibiotic Growth Promoters in China and its Impact on the Foodborne Pathogen Campylobacter Coli of Swine Origin

Nov 21, 2022

Abstract: Withdrawal of antibiotic growth promoters in China and its impact on the foodborne pathogen Campylobacter coli of swine origin

Antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) have been used as feed additives to improve feed efficiency in food animals for more than six decades. However, the wide use of AGPs has led to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens of animal origin, posing a significant threat to food safety and public health. China prohibited the addition of AGPs to animal feed from July 2020. The impacts caused by the withdrawal of AGPs on the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of foodborne pathogens have not been illustrated. Here, a total of 471 strains of Campylobacter were isolated from pigs from three pig farms and two slaughterhouses in Sichuan Province for 4 consecutive years (2018-2021), including 2 years before and 2 years after the ban on AGPs in China. The isolation rate of Campylobacter had a slight increase after prohibiting the addition of AGPs to the feed. Contrary to what we expected, the antibiotic susceptibility test and WGS data showed that the antibiotic resistance to gentamicin and florfenicol and the abundance of virulence genes increased significantly after the ban of AGPs.

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Video: Genetics vs Genomics in Swine - Dr. Max Rothschild

In this episode of The Swine it Podcast Show Canada, Dr. Max Rothschild, Distinguished Professor at Iowa State University, explains how genetics and genomics have transformed swine production. He explores genomic selection, key gene discoveries, and the role of gene editing in improving disease resistance and productivity. Practical insights on litter size, meat quality, and industry adoption are also discussed. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Genetic improvement in swine production accelerated significantly once molecular tools enabled identification of DNA level variation influencing growth, reproduction, and meat quality across commercial populations."

Meet the guest: Dr. Max Rothschild / max-f-rothschild-b3800312 earned his PhD in Animal Breeding from Cornell University and has spent over four decades at Iowa State University advancing swine genetics and genomics. His research focuses on genetic improvement, disease resistance, and molecular tools for swine production. A leader in pig genome research, his work has shaped modern breeding strategies.