Non-antibiotic control of bacterial infection

Principal Investigator

Mohammed Arshud Dar, University of Saskatchewan

Year the work was done

2013-2017

Overall objective

  • To develop a non-antibiotics based in ovo effective, safe and economical strategy to prevent bacterial infections causing early chick mortalities and yolk sac infection (YSI).

Specific objectives

  • Improve innate resistance to diverse pathogens.
  • Enhance responsiveness to vaccines.
  • Achieve a higher level of production.

Outcomes

  • Identification and characterization of Escherichia coli strains responsible for yolk sac infection and early chick mortality.
  • Development of an experimental model of YSI/ECM in chickens for use in challenge protection studies.
  • Challenge protection studies have shown >90%, 70% and 65% protection with in ovo administration of CpG ODN, Poly I:C and polyphophazene respectively.

Application

  • In ovo administration of identified immune stimulants may serve as candidates for the replacement of antibiotics for the prevention of YSI and ECM.

This research applies to

Breeders, Broilers, Layers, Turkeys

This research was supported by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canadian Poultry Research Council and Saskatchewan Chicken Industry Development Fund.