Presence of Antibiotic Residues and Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria in Cattle Manure Intended for Fertilization of Agricultural Fields: A One Health Perspective

Antibiotic resistant bacteria and antibiotic residues can enter the environment when using animal manure as fertilizer. Twenty-five mixed beef cattle farmyard manure samples and 9 mixed fattening calf slurry samples from different farms across Belgium were investigated for the presence of 69 antibiotic residues, antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. Doxycycline, oxytetracycline, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, flumequine and lincomycin were detected in all fattening calf slurry samples with mean concentrations of 2776, 4078, 48, 31, 536 and 36 mu g/kg manure, respectively. Sulfadiazine was detected at a mean concentration of 10,895 mu g/kg. Further, antibiotic residues were found in only 4 of the 25 beef cattle farmyard manure samples. Oxytetracycline was detected twice below 500 mu g/kg. Paromomycin, ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin were detected in a concentration below 100 mu g/kg. Of E. coli isolates, 88% and 23% from fattening calf slurry and beef cattle farmyard manure, respectively, were resistant to at least one of the antibiotics tested. Multi-drug resistance was observed at a maximum of 10 and 7 antibiotics, respectively. The occurrence of antibiotic resistant E. coli and antibiotic residues is shown to be higher in fattening calf slurry than in beef cattle farmyard manure used for agricultural field fertilization.

Automated summary

The study found that antibiotic residues and antibiotic resistant bacteria are more prevalent in fattening calf slurry than in beef cattle farmyard manure used for agricultural field fertilization. Specifically, higher concentrations of antibiotics like oxytetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and enrofloxacin were detected in fattening calf slurry samples. Additionally, a greater percentage of E. coli isolates from fattening calf slurry were resistant to multiple antibiotics compared to those from beef cattle farmyard manure.