Schematic diagram of the zinc feeding trial.

<p>Piglets were weaned 25±1 days after birth. N values present the number of animals per feeding group and experimental stage. Arrows indicate the sampling time points linked to the pig age and habitat of taken samples.</p

Proportion of multi-resistant porcine <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i> isolates.

<p>Piglets were weaned at 25±1 days of age and data for the multi-resistance status are shown for feces, digesta, and mucosa isolates of the three sampling time points (24, 38, 52 days of age) and for both zinc feeding groups of the trial. Phenotypic resistance against six different antimicrobial substances was determined and isolates were assigned as multi-resistant when they were resistant against at least three different antimicrobial classes. Numbers indicate the number of investigated isolates. Significant differences are indicated by p values.</p

Distribution of the phenotypic resistance patterns of the 453 feces, 174 digesta, and 158 mucosa multi-resistant <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i> isolates.

<p>Multi- resistance was defined as resistance against at last three classes of antimicrobials. The distribution was analyzed for the different habitats (feces, digesta, mucosa) and sampling time points (24, 38, 52 days of age) for both feeding groups of the zinc pig feeding trial.</p

Absolute numbers of the porcine <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i> population.

<p>Quantitative data for the <i>E</i>. <i>coli</i> isolates of the zinc feeding trial in association to intestinal habitat (feces, digesta, mucosa) and age of piglets (24, 38, 52 days of age). Colonies were counted on CHROMagar Orientation plates and the cfu/g sample was determined. Significant differences are indicated by p values and could only be detected for changes between different time points but not between the two feeding groups. Outliers are displayed separately.</p