Mitigating the risk of antibiotic resistance and pathogenic bacteria in swine waste: the role of ectopic fermentation beds

The study conducted on pig feces from 24 farms revealed that over 70% of pig feces had high-risk antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and 106 pathogenic bacteria. The application of ectopic fermentation beds (EFBs) significantly reduced these risks, with a 3.09-fold decrease in high-risk ARGs, a 72.22% reduction in B/MRGs, a 3.95-fold drop in prioritized pathogens, and an 89.09% decline in pig pathogen abundance. The findings can help improve the management of antimicrobial resistance and pathogenic contaminants in EFB applications to reduce environmental pollution.