A hopeful new study has found that some native plants contain the right chemical properties to replace antibiotic feed supplements that reduce lactic acisois in sheep.

If the study is correct, the research has come at an opportune time for Australian farmers, who will soon face a ban on antibiotic supplements in grain that have in the past been used to control the debilitating condition.

Researched by Peter Hutton, a recent University of Western Australia PhD graduate funded by the Future Farm Industries CRC, the new findings could offer a cheap, clean and green alternative to antibiotics.

“Unlike the common stomach aches humans suffer from, lactic acidosis is a serious illness in sheep caused by the bacterial break down of cereal grains to produce lactic acid, which can cause a severe decline in animal health and death if left untreated,” Mr Hutton said.

“Traditionally, acidosis has been controlled through the inclusion of antibiotics in grain feed. However, Australia, like the Europe Union, will soon ban these supplements as their prolonged use can create resistant bacteria that could be passed on to humans.” “About 50 per cent of all antibiotics used in Australia are added to stock feeds which creates a substantial overhead for farmers,” he said.

Mr Hutton’s research is understood to represent the first time Australian plants have been tested for bioactive properties to prevent the condition.

“As part of my research, I created chemical extracts taken from native legumes and a selection of rangeland shrub species. These chemical extracts were tested on a range of bacteria known to cause lactic acidosis with up to five plants producing positive results,” he said.

The fodder shrub Acacia saligna has also shown potential to protect against lactic acidosis.

“At this stage we have identified the chemical compounds in one plant that inhibits the acidosis causing bacteria. Extracts from this plant have also been tested in animal feed trials to monitor its effectiveness inside a sheep’s stomach,” Mr Hutton said.