The second Poultry Science Cluster was initiated in 2013. Total funding of almost $5.6 million, including industry contributions of $1.45 million and the balance from government, will support 17 research activities on four themes that reflect industry priorities as identified in the National Research Strategy for Canada’s Poultry Sector.
Cluster 2 research themes include:
- Poultry Infectious Diseases, as they impact poultry health and/or zoonosis (four activities).
- Alternative Animal Health Products and Management Strategies that enhance avian immune function and mitigate the impact of infectious pathogens while displacing the need for traditional antimicrobials (four activities).
- Poultry Welfare and Wellbeing throughout the production chain, as impacted by early immune function, bird harmony within various alternate farm production systems, bird stocking density, and the effects of temperature extremes during live bird transport (five activities).
- Environmental Stewardship as impacted by emissions of particulate matter, ammonia and greenhouse gases and their effect on poultry, poultry workers and the industry’s environmental footprint (four activities).
1. Poultry Infectious Diseases
FSQ061
Understanding and controlling necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens
John Prescott, University of Guelph
FSQ062
Assessment of Clostridium perfringens pili in vaccine development for controlling necrotic enteritis in chickens
Joshua Gong, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
FSQ063
Development of novel and rational vaccine formulations against avian influenza virus infection in chickens
Shayan Sharif, University of Guelph
FSQ064
Assessment and mitigation of contamination risks: critical knowledge to reduce diseases and increase biosecurity compliance
Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt, University of Montreal
2. Alternative Animal Health Products and Management Strategies
AMN065
Evaluation of butyrate glycerides for developing an alternative to dietary antibiotics in poultry
Joshua Gong, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
AMN066
Alternative antimicrobials from chicken blood
Max Hincke, University of Ottawa
AMN067
Enzyme/yeast-based prebiotic for poultry nutrition
Bogdan Slominski, University of Manitoba
AMN068
Investigations into yolk sac infection and its non-antibiotics based control in broilers in Saskatchewan
Mohammed Arshud Dar, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization
3. Poultry Welfare and Wellbeing
PWB069
Epigenetic transfer of behaviour and stress susceptibility in the laying hen: Influence of rearing and housing of different strains of parent stock on offspring phenotype
Tina Widowski, University of Guelph
PWB070
Development of flight and locomotion in laying hens
Alexandra Harlander-Matauschek, University of Guelph
PWB071
Improving foot pad quality in commercial broilers: benchmarking and practical strategies
Clover Bench, University of Alberta
PWB072
Study of the impact of various stocking densities on the performance, health and welfare of turkey broilers and heavy turkeys
Karen Schwean-Lardner, University of Saskatchewan
PWB073
Investigating the influence of extreme exposure temperature during simulated transport on turkey physiology, welfare and meat quality
Trever Crowe, University of Saskatchewan
PWB075
Impact of ammonia on welfare of poultry
Alexandra Harlander-Matauschek, University of Guelph
4. Environmental Stewardship
ENV074
Evaluation of control strategies to reduce emissions of particulate matter and ammonia from poultry operations
Bill Van Heyst, University of Guelph
ENV076
Determining the genetic relationships between feed efficiency, production traits and greenhouse gas (NH3, N2O, CO2, and CH4) emissions in turkeys.
Ben Wood, Hybrid Turkeys (Hendrix Genetics)/University of Guelph
ENV077
Validation of a new LED light bulb designed for the egg-laying industry
Gregoy Bedecarrats, University of Guelph