Environmental & Social Impacts – Animal Agriculture

1. Antibiotics in Animal Manure:Implications to Sustainable Agriculture Agricultural Research Center Jeffrey L. Ullman1 - Biological Systems Engineering Collaborators: Andrew Bary2, Lynne Carpenter-Boggs2, Craig Cogger2, Joseph Harrison3 and Jeremy Rentz4 1Biological Systems Engineering, 2Crop & Soil Science, 3Animal Science, 4Civil & Environmental Engineering Problem Statement Antibiotics found in land applied manure present an emerging issue facing sustainable food and agricultural production. Concentrated livestock production has significantly increased antibiotic use, and poor drug adsorption by animals can subsequently lead to 30-90% antibiotic excretion rates. Direct Human Health Antibiotics used for therapeutic drug use can cause side effects. Adverse reactions range from diarrhea to tendon damage to death. Antibiotic uptake by plants links these health risks and farming, as accumulation has occurred in vegetables such as corn, beans, onions and cabbage. Antibiotic-Resistance Bacteria Antibiotics in agricultural systems promote antibiotic-resistance that arises through mutations and the transfer of genetic material between bacteria. This phenomenon may be exacerbated by farming practices, as repeated manure applications lead to continued exposure of soil microbes to antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacterial populations. Environmental Health Aquatic ecosystems are also at risk, as antibiotics can impact multiple trophic levels, killing fish and plants while decreasing planktonic diversity. Furthermore, trace levels may disrupt fish reproduction and development, which affects populations without causing overt symptoms. Agricultural Productivity Long-term risk to farms may also exist by impairing productivity in agriculture by disrupting biogeochemical cycles and interfering with plant growth. While robust microbial consortia carry out general soil processes (e.g., decomposition) that typically withstand antibiotic exposure, specific processes maintained by restricted microbial groups can exhibit greater sensitivity. • Project Objectives • Reconnaissance of antibiotics and antibiotic- resistance in manure management practices • Determine fate and transport process in the environmental and agricultural systems • Examine treatment efficiency of waste management systems • Incorporate findings into state, regional and national extension activities • Procedures • Analytical methods: • Chemical analysis – GC-MS, LC-MS/MS • Microbial analysis • Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) • RT-PCR • Washington agricultural reconnaissance will examine: • Cross-section of animal operations • Different primary manure management systems • Crop and vegetable fields receiving manure • Treatment systems will focus on: • Composting • Anaerobic digestion Environmental & Social Impacts – Animal Agriculture Compounds of Interest A variety of antibiotics will be considered, with an emphasis on those compounds known to have significant use in Washington. Antibiotic classes include: Aminoglycosides Β-Lactams: penicillins Cephalosporines Fluorochinolones Lincosamides Macrolides Sulphonamides Tetracyclines Tetracycline Sulfadimethoxine Compost bins at WSU-Puyallup

2. Problem Statement Antibiotics found in manure that is land applied as a soil amendment or disposal practice present an emerging issue facing sustainable food and agricultural production. Concentrated livestock production has significantly increased antibiotic use, and poor drug adsorption by animals can subsequently lead to 30-90% antibiotic excretion rates (Sarmah et al., 2006). Direct Human Health Antibiotic specificity and dose allows for therapeutic drug use, but side effects exist. Adverse reactions may be as basic as diarrhea, but can also result in more severe impacts that range from tendon damage to death. Antibiotic uptake by plants links these health risks and organic farming, as accumulation has occurred in vegetables such as corn, beans, onions and cabbage (Kumar et al., 2005; Sarmah et al., 2006). Antibiotic-Resistance Bacteria Antibiotic prevalence in agricultural systems promotes the indirect health threat of antibiotic-resistance that arises through mutations and the transfer of genetic material between microorganisms. This phenomenon may be exacerbated by farming practices, as repeated manure applications lead to a continuous exposure of soil microorganisms to antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacterial populations. Environmental Health Aquatic ecosystems are also at risk, as antibiotics can impact multiple trophic levels, killing fish and plants while decreasing planktonic diversity (Richards et al., 2004). Furthermore, trace levels may disrupt fish reproduction and development, which affects populations without causing overt symptoms. Agricultural Productivity Long-term risk to farms may also exist by impairing productivity in agriculture by disrupting biogeochemical cycles and interfering with plant growth. While robust microbial consortia carry out general soil processes (e.g., decomposition) that typically withstand antibiotic exposure, specific processes maintained by restricted microbial groups can exhibit greater sensitivity. Dry lot operation Hybrid facility with free stalls