Antibiotic Resistance in Livestock: Genomic Insights, Evolution of Use, and Integrated Mitigation Strategies

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock production has emerged as a critical global challenge, with profound implications for animal health, food safety, and human well-being. The extensive and often prolonged use of antibiotics in animal husbandry for therapy, prophylaxis, or growth promotion, has fostered environments where antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) can evolve, persist, and disseminate. Through mobile genetic elements (MGEs) these resistance determinants transcend farm boundaries, spreading across animal, human, and environment systems, thus positioning AMR as one of the most urgent “One Health” concerns of our time.

Recent advances in whole-genome sequencing, metagenomics, and resistome profiling are reshaping our understanding of AMR dynamics. These approaches provide unprecedented insights into how ARB evolve and how horizontal gene (especially MGE) transfer accelerates dissemination, and how resistance networks are maintained within and between microbial communities. Genomic and bioinformatic tools also enhance surveillance, monitoring, and evidence-based policymaking, enabling more precise antimicrobial stewardship interventions.

This Research Topic seeks to integrate fundamental genomic insights with applied strategies to address AMR in livestock.
We welcome submissions on the following sub-topics:

• Livestock-associated bacterial pathogens
• Resistance mechanisms
• Genomic epidemiology
• Ecological dynamics of AMR
• ARB within farming systems
• Alternatives to antibiotics in breeding
• Sustainable waste and manure management
• Preventive health strategies
• Innovative stewardship practices

Research on cross-sectoral collaborations surveillance frameworks, and One Health-based interventions is particularly relevant.
By combining molecular-scale perspectives with on-farm strategies, this collection aims to foster a holistic understanding of AMR and support the development of sustainable science-driven solutions for livestock systems worldwide.

In this Research Topic we consider the following article types: Hypothesis & Theory, Methods, Mini Review, Opinion, Original Research, Perspective, Review, Systematic Review, Technology and Code.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: livestock, AMR, ARB, ARGs, Animal husbandry, One Health, WGS, Metagenomics, Resistome analysis, HGT, Antimicrobial stewardship, Surveillance and monitoring, Resistance epidemiology, Waste and manure management, Mitigation strategies

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.