Using trained immunity to reduce 
antibiotic use in food-producing animals 

Consumers are placing growing pressure on Australia’s animal agriculture sector 
to reduce its use of antimicrobials due to concerns that antimicrobial-resistant 
bacteria can move between animals and people sharing the same environment, 
potentially contributing to the global problem of antimicrobial resistance.

The challenge

In response to this challenge, farmers 
are seeking methods to reduce the 
likelihood of infection and, subsequently, 
reduce the need to use antimicrobials 
to treat disease while, at the same time, 
making sure that animal welfare is not 
compromised. Reducing antimicrobial 
use by improving livestock health will 
also deliver lower production costs.

The response 

There’s evidence to suggest that 
stimulating an animal’s innate 
immune system prior to a time of 
greater stress (such as transition to 
a feedlot, or weaning) can reduce 
their susceptibility to infection 
and therefore reduce the need for 
subsequent antimicrobial treatment. 

CSIRO is working with a company that 
manufactures innate immune stimulant 
formulations – which can activate an 
animal’s immune system to provide 
short term protection against a variety 
of infections. 

However, these injectable products 
can be difficult to administer to large 
numbers of animals in intensive 
production systems and the handling 
required for injection itself can be 
stressful for the animal.

This project will test the viability of oral 
delivery of immune stimulant therapies, 
assessing if these compounds remain 
active following passage through the 
gut. If successful, the research will 
progress to undertake efficacy-based 
registration trials with the ultimate aim 
of delivering products to industry that 
can reduce the reliance on antibiotics to 
treat disease.

The engagement 

CSIRO has partnered with NovaVive 
(www.NovaVive.ca), a manufacturer 
of immune stimulant compounds and 
performs ongoing industry consultation 
with farmers, industry bodies and 
potential product distributors. The 
project team will also consult with the 
Australian Pesticides and Veterinary 
Medicines Authority (APVMA) to ensure 
future registration trial work is designed 
appropriately. 

Dr Brad Hine is a Senior Research 
Scientist in CSIRO’s Livestock Phenomics 
Team, where he investigates immune 
competence and stress-coping ability in 
livestock species. “This project aims to 
make it easier and more cost-effective 
for farmers to use innate immune 
stimulants to spark up an animal’s own 
immune defences before a challenging 
situation – such as when cattle first 
arrive at a feedlot,” he says.

“We believe these products 
have the potential to provide 
production animals with short-
term protection against a 
broad range of pathogens such 
as those which cause bovine 
respiratory disease in feedlot 
cattle. Maintaining high animal 
welfare standards and reducing 
antibiotic use is a key priority of 
all production animal industries 
and products like these can help 
achieve that goal.”

Brad Hine

brad.hine@csiro.au 

csiro.au/about/challenges-missions/Antimicrobial-resistance

Australia’s National 
Science Agency

TRANSLATIONAL CASE STUDY