Evaluating the Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance in Agricultural Manures and Slurries

Our vision is to establish a strategic research programme in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in waste from agricultural farm environments. Our aim is to quantify and mitigate the risks of emergence of resistant pathogens and AMR gene reservoirs associated with mixing antimicrobials with waste matter in these environments.The project is focussed on the University of Nottingham's (UoN) dairy and arable farm, which is typical of high performance UK dairy production, with ~200 high yielding cows. Slurry is stored in a 3M L slurry tank and subsequently spread on surrounding fields. We hypothesise that conditions in the slurry tank environment drive the evolution and acquisition of antimicrobial resistance, and the slurry acts as a reservoir for AMR that is regularly distributed into the environmentThe project consists of six integrated Research Questions:RQ1: What are the levels and nature of antimicrobial and virulence genes present in the slurry tank, their prevalence, carriage, and bacterial hosts?RQ2: What are the chemical agents in the tank? What is their persistence?RQ3: To what extent is resistance maintained after slurry application to soil?RQ4: How can we elicit culturally embedded ways in which scientists and stakeholders know AMR risks? How can we use narrative and visual methods of engaging across these ways of knowing to develop resources for deliberation on AMR risk management?RQ5: To what extent can we reduce resistance profiles through changes in slurry tank composition?RQ6: Can we quantify the risk of emergence of AMR pathogens and what factors are predicted to control this risk best?