Selective Elimination vs Competitive Exclusion: The Future of Antibiotic Alternatives in Food Animal Production

Selective Elimination vs Competitive Exclusion: The Future of Antibiotic Alternatives in Food Animal Production

As antimicrobial resistance (AMR) continues to threaten both public and animal health, the food animal industry is urgently shifting towards sustainable alternatives to antibiotics. Two promising strategies have emerged: Selective Elimination using bacteriophages or phage lysins and Competitive Exclusion using probiotics.
Both methods target harmful bacteria but operate through fundamentally different mechanisms. Below is a quick comparative analysis in the attached picture.


Why This Matters
The integration of these strategies into poultry and swine production systems offers a dual benefit—reducing antibiotic use and enhancing food safety. While bacteriophage therapy is surgical in precision, probiotics build systemic resilience. A combined, science-driven approach may well become the gold standard in AMR control in the near future.

Let's Collaborate
As someone passionate about feed safety, food safety, One Health and sustainable animal production, I invite technical product managers, researchers, veterinarians, and agritech innovators to join the conversation. How are you integrating these or similar innovations in your work?
#AMR #OneHealth #AnimalHealth #Bacteriophages #Probiotics #VeterinaryScience #FoodSafety #PoultryProduction #SwineHealth #AlternativestoAntibiotics #AgriTech #SustainableFarming