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Antibiotic use in cows can affect soil health, increase CO2 emissions: Study

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    Science & Technology
  • Published
    9th Dec, 2020
  • Long-term exposure to manure from cows administered with antibiotics can change soil microbiome.
  • It decreases their ability to store carbon.

How the antibiotics will impact?

  • Long-term exposure to manure from cows administered with antibiotics can change soil microbiome.
  • It decreases their ability to store carbon.
  • It affects soil respiration and elemental cycling.
  • The exposure also caused changes in the soil's fungal and bacterial ratios as well as altered the bacterial community structure. 

Why antibiotics are used for cows?

  • They are used to boost animal growth and treat infection.
  • These account for around 80 per cent of the consumption of medically important antibioticsin some countries.
  • Globally, the use of antibiotics in livestock is estimated to spike by 67 per cent by 2030.

How it will increase the Co2 level?

  • Soil is a major source of carbon sink.
  • Plants soak up carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, while making their food, and store it in the soil.
  • If the volume of the carbon in the soil is more than that is released back into the atmosphere, soils can counter the greenhouse gas emissions.
  • The carbon which is exposed to manure from cows administered with antibiotics moves into the above-ground plant material, to the roots of the plants, into the soil and respired back out as CO2 much faster.

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