**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY.CURRENT ISSUE. THIS PROJECT IS TARGETING THE USE OF SELECT PROBIOTIC BACTERIA THAT POSSESS ENZYMATIC ACTIVITIES TO ASSIST SWINE WITH FEED UTILIZATION TO ENHANCE ANIMAL GROWTH. THE CURRENT ISSUE THIS RESEARCH ADDRESSES IS THE ENHANCEMENT OF ANIMAL GROWTH USING PROBIOTIC BACTERIA AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THEOVERUSE OF ANTIBIOTIC GROWTH PROMOTANTS IN ANIMAL AGRICULTURE AS WELL ASINCREASING THESAFETY OF DERIVED MEAT PRODUCTS. THERE ARE VARIOUS TYPES OF GROWTH PROMOTANTS INCLUDING HORMONES, EXOGENOUS ENZYMES, AND ANTIBIOTICS. THE USE OF LOW LEVELS OF ANTIBIOTICS AS GROWTH PROMOTANTS ENHANCES ANIMAL GROWTH BY INHIBITING THE ANIMAL'S NORMAL MICROBIOTA THEREBY ENHANCING NUTRIENT UTILIZATION BY THE ANIMAL AND BY SUPPRESSING GASTROINTESTINAL INFLAMMATION FROM A BACTERIAL INFECTION THAT OTHERWISE RESULTS IN HIGHER ANIMAL MAINTENANCE COSTS. HOWEVER, THE USE OF EVEN LOW LEVELS OF ANTIBIOTICS IN FEEDS SELECTS FOR, AND INCREASES, THE PROPORTION OF ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA IN THE INTESTINAL TRACT, INCLUDING FOODBORNE PATHOGENS. THESE SAME ORGANISMS COULD CONTAMINATE THE HARVESTEDMEAT PRODUCTS AND CAUSE ILLNESS IF CONSUMED (I.E.,UNDERCOOKED MEATS OR CROSS-CONTAMINATION).IF THE PATHOGENIC BACTERIAARE RESISTANT TO THE SAME ANTIBIOTICS GIVEN FOR HUMAN ILLNESS, THEN HUMAN TREATMENT WITH ANTIBIOTICS MIGHT BEINEFFECTIVE,PROLONGING ILLNESS, AND EVEN ALLOWINGTHE ILLNESS TOGET WORSE. MANY PATHOGENIC BACTERIA ARE KNOWN TO POSSESSMULTIPLEDRUG RESISTANCETO MANY ANTIBIOTICS, YOU COULD EVEN GIVE HUMANS A DIFFERENTANTIBIOTICAS WASGIVEN TO THE ANIMALAND STILL BE INEFFECTIVE IN TREATING HUMAN BACTERIAL FOODBORNE ILLNESS.SOLUTION.THE FDA HAS BEEN SLOWLY MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF DISALLOWING THEUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS AS GROWTH PROMOTANTS. OUR APPROACH IS TO USEBENEFICIAL PROBIOTIC BACTERIA THAT CAN HELP FOOD PRODUCTION ANIMALS MORE EFFICIENTLY UTILIZE THE NUTRITIONAL COMPONENTS IN THEIR FEED BY SELECTING ONES THAT HAVE SPECIFIC ENZYMATIC ACTIVITIES THAT COULD BREAK DOWN COMPLEX FEED COMPONENTS. WE INTEND TO ISOLATE BACTERIA THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SWINEAND CAPABLE OF SURVIVING IN THEM. AMONG THESE BACTERIA, SCREENING THOSE THAT HAVE DESIRABLE ENZYMATIC ACTIVITIES USEFUL IN HELPING THEM DIGEST COMPLEX COMPONENTS IN ANIMAL FEED, AND PROVIDING THEM BACK IN THE ANIMAL DIET AT LEVELS HIGHER THAN THEY WOULD NORMALLY OCCUR ON THEIR OWN AND BOOSTED BY PROVIDING PREBIOTIC GROWTH SUPPLEMENTS FOR THOSE SELECT BACTERIA.THIS COULD PROVIDEMOREEFFICIENT USE OF NUTRIENTS IN ANIMAL FEED, RESULTING INWEIGHT GAIN, AND ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL AS WITH TRADITIONAL GROWTH PROMOTANTS. REDUCING ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE AMONG ANIMAL MICROBIOTA WOULD FURTHERINCREASETHE FOOD SAFETY OF MEATS DERIVED FROM THOSE ANIMALS. THISWOULD PROVIDE ANIMAL PRODUCERS WITH A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE IN SWINE. IF SUCCESSFUL, IT COULD SERVE AS A MODELTHAT COULD BE REPLICATED WITH OTHER FOOD PRODUCTION ANIMALS (I.E., BEEF).