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

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.