The USPOULTRY Board Research Initiative is requesting pre-proposals in two areas – clostridial dermatitis in poultry and Salmonella in poultry production systems. The deadline for pre-proposal submission is Nov. 2.
Clostridial Dermatitis in Poultry: Clostridial dermatitis, often called gangrenous dermatitis, is an important disease seen in chickens and turkeys. The disease can lead to significant mortality losses and often requires the use of antibiotics in order to restore the health of an affected flock. The pathogenesis of the disease and the management and environmental factors involved in the epidemiology of the disease are poorly understood. The areas of focus for the research are the identification of management and environmental factors that contribute to the development of clostridial dermatitis in chickens and/or turkeys; identification of the pathogens involved in clostridial dermatitis; and development of measures to reduce the incidence of clostridial dermatitis in chickens and/or turkeys.
Salmonella in Poultry Production Systems: Salmonella Reading was not a serotype of foodborne illness concern associated with poultry products until appearing in certain turkey products in 2018. The emergence of the serotype in the turkey industry through the production and processing chain suggests the serotype has evolved with increased persistence. Salmonella can enter a turkey production system by multiple routes and may persist in flocks through slaughter and processing. The transmission of Salmonella from breeders to progeny is poorly understood, as are the factors which allow Salmonella Reading to persist in a production system once it is introduced. A greater understanding of Salmonella Reading will assist the turkey industry in mitigating the serotype and could potentially be helpful in reducing future evolved Salmonella serotypes. The research areas of focus are to improve the understanding of the transmission of Salmonella from turkey breeders to progeny; improve methods used to identify flocks that likely harbor specific Salmonella isolates prior to slaughter; identify the critical factors that allow Salmonella Reading isolates to persist in a turkey production system; investigate factors that make Salmonella Reading potentially less susceptible to traditional processing interventions; and develop strategies to reduce Salmonella Reading colonization in turkeys and reduce prevalence of Salmonella Reading in turkey products.
For the full details on each Board Research Initiative, go to www.uspoultry.org, and click on “Research” and then “Board Research Initiatives (2020)” for complete instructions and deadlines.
