Alternative for Antimicrobials in Livestock Production

The use of veterinary drugs became a problem because pathogens developed resistance to antimicrobials. Hence, the drugs can reach the soil and water through the animal excreta and act as severe environmental pollutants. Research has suggested myriad nutritional strategies to improve animal health, productivity, and production quality. Most of these methods use feed supplements that stimulate a suitable intestinal ecosystem. Modification of intestinal microbiota is vital for the health status of livestock. Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) possess antimicrobial properties because they can produce substances that have the capacity to inhibit pathogens and that additionally make them more specific anti-pathogenic agents. LAB-mediated feed fermentation can reduce the content of toxins in feed and reduce the number of pathogens in the animal gut. The aim of the proposed project is thus to elucidate the actual problems. They are related to the challenges and associated with the pathogens in livestock. Moreover, it is planned to spread knowledge about the new animal nutrition strategies related to this problem resolving in the project partner’s countries. To gain knowledge is crucial for all the project partners’ countries, as there are similar based pathogens and their resistance problems in livestock production; therefore, resolving the exact solutions could be used.

The project’s main activity is to organize a scientific seminar – meeting „Alternative for Antimicrobials in Livestock Production”. It serves to spread knowledge about the challenges associated with the pathogens in livestock and the new feed material fermentation strategies for the animals’ gut microbial profile modeling. In the frame of the project, the scientific seminar – meeting will be organized between Germany, Lithuania, and Latvia. The central objective is to exchange the knowledge between the researchers from the participating foreign countries and the researchers from the host institution as well as the livestock industry. This can improve the understanding of the current situation in the livestock production industry.

In addition, laboratory research and scientific discussions between the partners will be performed during the project period (fermented feed material preparation, chemical and microbiological analysis, in vivo analysis). The results will be presented during the seminar.

Furthermore, the usage of the German language will be promoted, and a cultural exchange between the project partners (Lithuania, Germany, Latvia) will be organized.

Direct:

Lithuania: Members of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (7 people) and one invited speaker from the Kaunas University of Technology (Prof. habil. dr. Romas Gruzauskas).

Germany: Members of the Institute of Animal Sciences, University of Hohenheim (2 people).

Latvia: Members of the BIOR of Laboratory of Food and Environmental Investigations (3 people).

Indirect:

Lithuania: Colleagues from the field of agriculture sciences, animal nutrition, food sciences, veterinary food safety students (5-10 people)

Germany: Colleagues from the field of agriculture, poultry nutrition, veterinary medicine, poultry health service etc. (5-10 people).