To feed a burgeoning and protein-loving population, farmers are driven to produce more livestock in shorter time, and in increasingly stressful conditions. To keep the animals healthy, they are given lots of antibiotics. But with more bacteria evolving resistance to the antibiotics, what is a better alternative to antibiotics? A new method that boosts the animal’s defense against bacteria in their guts may largely reduce our dependence on antibiotics. Dr Latiffah Hassan explains.