Advancements in data science and digital technologies could help unlock the potential of the microbiome to make poultry and other food production more efficient.
“We are still searching and trying to understand whether there is such a thing as a healthy microbiome for any animal, whether it’s gut, skin or other organ,” explained Anthony Finbow, CEO, Eagle Genomics.
The microbiome exists in one of two states: eubiosis and dysbiosis. In eubiosis, the microbiome is thought to be relatively healthy. Comparatively, a microbiome in the state of dysbiosis occurs once the conversation between the microbiome and the organism breaks down, which can, for example, contribute to the onset of several non-communicable diseases.
“It’s become clear that with the move to ban antibiotic-growth stimulants, we’ve got to find other ways to make sure that our birds are growing quickly enough and in a healthy state so there’s a huge focus on the microbiome of the animal,” Finbow said.
Several options, including prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics, on the market are available that can help keep the poultry microbiome in a eubiotic status.
Data science builds understanding of the microbiome
Recent advancements in gene editing and other technologies, such as artificial intelligence and bioinformatics, have helped the industry adopt production strategies that can help optimize poultry metabolic health.
“We’re trying to understand the microbe as an individual species or strain and we’re trying to understand the interaction of that strain with others within a particular ecology, in competition or in symbiosis. And then, we try to understand and network the understanding of the performance of that ecology with the host [the animal],” said Finbow.
“What we’re doing is applying graph theory network science, applying artificial intelligence and emerging causal data science in order to really unlock the puzzle.”
The approach can be applied in both the traditional animal protein and alternative meat space to help optimize production.
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