Piglet feeding trial with tulathromycin application

In this study, microbiota samples were analyzed from piglets treated with tulathromycin in a controlled feeding trial. Eighty weaned piglets were housed in groups and assigned to one of four diets with varying copper levels over five weeks. At the end of week four, half of the piglets from each dietary group received either an intramuscular tulathromycin injection or a placebo. Fecal samples were collected before and 24 hours after treatment. Six antibiotic-treated piglets from the 150 mg Cu/kg feed group were selected for sequencing analysis. While the microbiota composition of the samples were highly variable, the antibiotic had a clear and consistent effect on microbial changes. Thus, the study provides a controlled approach to investigating the effects of tulathromycin on the gut microbiota of piglets, laying the groundwork for understanding how this antibiotics influence microbial composition.