Why is this research important for Alberta ag?
Poultry barns are tunnel ventilated in order to provide a cooler inside temperature. One of the limitations of this housing is poor barn air quality. The implication of airborne particles is three-fold: these particles can be distributed deep down the respiratory tract of the birds, it may contain certain compounds detrimental to bird's health, and it can be a source of live and dead viruses and bacteria and fungal spores.
The Canadian poultry industry relies heavily on vaccination in addition to biosecurity to ensure the chickens are protected against various diseases to maintain optimum production. This project aims to characterize the levels of airborne biptic and abiotic factors in layer chicken barns relevant to Canadian climatic conditions and to determine the effect of barn air quality on the development of vaccine-mediated immune response and overall health of layer chickens.
What benefits can producers expect from this research?
Gathered data will provide an indication whether intervention is required in order to address the health of the birds and poultry workers. Additionally, this research will also train highly qualified personnel (HQP) to be employed for the benefit of the Canadian poultry industry.
How will these research findings reach producers on-farm?
Outcomes will be communications to poultry producers and other stakeholders through meetings, publications in magazines and newsletters, websites, and oral presentations at poultry industry conferences such as the Western Poultry Disease Conference and Prairie Poultry meetings.
Funded in part by the Government of Canada under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.