Location: Meat Safety and Quality
Project Number: 3040-32000-035-005-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2022
End Date: Jul 31, 2026
Objective:
1. Develop a genetically engineered ruminally-derived bacterial strain to inhibit other rumen bacteria that are associated with liver abscesses and reduce the use of antibiotics in feedlot cattle.
2. Determine the potential impact of a genetically engineered ruminally-derived bacterial strain on the rumen, fecal, and environmental microbial ecologies.
Approach:
Collaborating scientists will derive a genetically modified bacterial strain of rumen origin that will exhibit inhibitory activity to Streptococcus bovis and Fusobacterium necrophorum. ARS scientists will conduct in vivo studies with cattle in isolated pens to determine the potential impact of the genetically-modified strain on other microbial ecologies. Cattle will be inoculated daily with the potential prebiotic and samples of ruminal fluid and feces will collected using standard procedures over the course of the study. In addition, animal hide samples will collected. The 24 animals on study will be housed in isolated pens to be constructed at ARS Clay Center, NE and samples of the manure and feedlot surface materials will be collected while the animals are present and for up to 12 months after animals have been removed. Samples will be provided to UNL to be analyzed for the inhibition of S. bovis and F. necrophorum, and the presence and stability of the genetically modified gene(s).
