Aggie Feed: USU researchers introduce healthier alternative to antibiotics in livestock production

LOGAN – Humans and farm animals share a common affliction: Inflammation.

“Inflammation, wherever it occurs in your body, is your immune system’s response to a host of factors, including injury or infection,” says Utah State University chemist Cheng-Wei “Tom” Chang. “It may be minor and temporary, but chronic inflammation can lead to serious conditions, including cardiovascular disease, arthritis, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, Parkinson’s disease, hepatitis, autoimmune disorders and inflammatory bowel disease.”

The last disorder on that lengthy list – known as IBD – is a modern-day scourge in livestock, Chang says, which is often caused by infection from harmful microbes or exposure to chemicals, including antibiotics.

Antibiotic usage in livestock, introduced in t