Natural Plant Supplements to Replace Livestock Antibiotics?

Aug 21, 2012

Canadian Government Funds Research Development

With the government’s support of more than $101,000 in funding, Prairie Plant Systems will be able to develop innovative solutions for replacing antibiotics in livestock feed with plant supplements. Some of the initial research has showed that some plants such as mustard seed have special properties that may be comparable to antibiotics.

Research into alternative options for antibiotics is important especially since other research has discovered that the use of antibiotics in feedstock is beneficial. The development of alternative feed options that provide similar results to the use of antibiotics could improve animal health and result in producer cost savings. If the research proves to be successful, this could also make way for other opportunities for farmers to diversify their crops – planting added rotational crops that have proven health benefits for antibiotic feed alternatives.

"This is the first step in finding alternatives to the use of antibiotics in animal feed," said Brent Zettl, CEO of Prairie Plant Systems. "The long-term goal of our research can have benefits for farmers and consumers alike."

The funding was made possible under the Agriculture Innovation Program which is a part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.