Novel feed additive delivers antimicrobial copper and influences fecal microbiota in pigs

Dehydrated alginate beads formulated with copper were synthesized and tested as a feed additive to influence the microbiota in finishing pigs and potentially use them as a preharvest intervention to reduce fecal pathogen shedding. The efficacy of the copper beads was tested in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, Salmonella was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced when in contact with the copper beads solution for up to 6 h, with a 5.4 log CFU/mL reduction over the first hour. Chemical analysis of the soak solutions demonstrated the beads delivered their copper payload gradually over the same period the bactericidal effect was observed. For the in vivo experiments, pigs (n = 48) supplemented with the copper beads experienced significant shifts in their microbiota. Enterobacteriaceae (EB) increased by 1.07 log CFU/g (P < 0.05), while lactic acid bacteria (LAB) decreased by 1.22 log CFU/g (P < 0.05) during the treatment period. When beads were removed from the feed, EB and LAB concentrations returned to baseline, indicating copper beads led to measurable and significant changes in microbial loads. Fecal microbiome analysis conducted to explore additional changes by copper bead supplementation demonstrated that, at the phylum level, there was an increase in Firmicutes, Euryarchaeota, and Acidobacteriota, while at the genus level, an increase in Methanosphaera and Pseudomonas was observed. Measures of copper in swine feces showed values similar to 20 times higher in the treatment group than in the control group during the treatment period, suggesting that dehydrated alginate copper beads were effective in delivering antimicrobial copper to the animal hindgut. IMPORTANCE Copper has long been known to have antimicrobial properties. However, when water-soluble salts are fed to livestock, the copper may rapidly dissolve in gastric contents and fail to reach the gut. Here, specially formulated copper beads are seamlessly incorporated into feed and allow copper to remain longer in the gastrointestinal tract of animals, reach deep into both the foregut and hindgut, and shift microbial populations. The technology delivers antimicrobial copper to the animal hindgut and potentially reduces pathogenic microorganisms before animal slaughter.