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Letter to the Editor: Management of Bacterial Burden in Cattle by TiO₂ from Grazing

The Gibson Institute for Medical Research, Box 1914, Santa Rosa, CA 95402

In a recent article in this journal, Callaway et al. (2003) discussed the complexity of issues associated with controlling Escherichia coli populations in cattle. Such issues also come into play with other bacteria (Goldberg et al., 1992; Wesley et al., 2000), but in none of the literature is the role of TiO₂ or its water-soluble TiO⁺² form discussed.

Titanyl ion (TiO⁺²) is a potent, broad spectrum bacteriostatic agent (Duffy et al., 1998) that has been found to suppress the virulence and number of bacteria in the gut and wounds of animals (Schwietert et al., 2001; McCue, 2003). It is found to varying degrees in soil as a result of the presence of TiO₂, where it inhibits the growth of bacteria (Yaghoubi et al., 2000). It also finds its way into milk of grazing cattle (Grebennikov et al., 1963; Anderson, 1992) as a result of grazing (Mayland et al., 1975; Thornton et al., 1983). As such, TiO₂ and TiO⁺² are potential players in controlling the bacterial burden of cattle. Cattle confined to concrete can consume as low as 10% of the amount of TiO⁺² that grazing cattle consume (Fries et al., 1982; McCue, 2003). Grazing cattle consume quantities of TiO⁺² known to reduce fecal shedding of bacteria in other animals, but the intake of TiO⁺² in confined cattle can be below the level required to reduce bacterial shedding in feces (McCue, 2003). Under conditions in which confounding factors are controlled, the effects of TiO⁺² on bacterial burden in cattle appear to emerge. For example, Staphylococcus aureus counts in bulk tank milk from dairy cattle during winter confinement are lower for herds maintained during the summer on intensively managed rotational grazing compared with herds confined year round (Goldberg et al., 1992).

Titanium dioxide and TiO⁺² are not toxic to mammals (WHO, 1982; NIOSH, 2000; McCue, 2003), and they are readily available as inexpensive commercial products. When given to calves, TiO⁺² salts have been reported to improve animal growth (Drebickas, 1966). As such, TiO⁺² and TiO₂ may be useful food additives for reducing the bacterial burden of cattle.

FOOTNOTES

E-mail: GibsonInst{at}yahoo.com.

Received for publication January 27, 2004. Accepted for publication February 12, 2004.

REFERENCES

Anderson, R. R. 1992. Comparison of trace elements in milk of four species. J. Dairy Sci. 75:3050–3055.[Abstract]

Callaway, T. R., R. O. Elder, J. E. Keen, R. C. Anderson, and D. J. Nisbet. 2003. Forage feeding to reduce preharvest Escherichia coli populations in cattle, a review. J. Dairy Sci. 86:852–860.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

Drebickas, V. 1966. Effect of additions of vanadium and titanium salts on some physiological indexes of calves. Lietuvos TSR Aukstuju Mokyklu Mokslo Barbai Biologija 6:71–75.

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WHO. 1982. Titanium. Environmental Health Criteria 24, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.

Yaghoubi, S., C. W. Schwietert, and J. P. McCue. 2000. Biological roles of titanium. Biol. Trace Elem. Res. 78:205–217.[Medline]

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