In the future, whole genome sequencing, CRISPR, robotics, new vaccines and other technologies could play a major role in poultry health prevention, management and control.
During “Poultry Future: What’s next for poultry health?” a panel discussion that took place February 1 at the 2024 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Georgia, four industry experts shared their predictions. The panelists were:
- Joshua Deines, Ph.D., technical services device lead, Zoetis
- William Herring, Ph.D., vice president, research and development, Cobb-Vantress
- Theresia Lavergne, Ph.D., senior technical service manager, Natural Biologics
- Dr. Linnea Tracy, veterinary services manager, Ceva Animal Health
1. AI will propel genomic selection forward
Genomic selection is still relatively new in agriculture. Before that, the industry used certified pedigrees. Genomic selection improves the accuracy of this, Herring said.
Health-associated traits are more difficult to measure. However, genomics, augmented with pedigree and phenotypes, are fairly accurate at this point. Further advancements in genomic selection could address some of these traits in the future.
“There’s still a ways to go, but we’re on the path,” he explained.
Artificial intelligence (AI) could play a major role in advancing genomic selection. Herring called AI the next step in genetics, especially when it comes to understanding some of the more difficult traits like behavior.
2. We’ll learn more about the role of the poultry gut microbiome
We’re only just starting to understand the role the gut microbiome plays in poultry health, Lavergne said.
Part of the challenge is that the gut microbiome is very dynamic. Changes in the makeup of the gut microbiome in poultry can change very quickly based on feed, environment and other production strategies.
Emerging technologies and strategies to manage the microbiome will first improve the management of protozoal and pathogenic diseases, but given that the gut-brain axis has been linked to a number of diseases in humans already, the possibilities are endless.
“I think we’re really making progress now to learn how feed impacts the microbiome to affect health status,” she added.
3. Vaccination will become more efficient
In ovo vaccination is ensuring that every bird is vaccinated quickly and accurately, but the industry needs to figure out how to apply that accuracy and speed for spray vaccination.
The next steps in poultry vaccination will result in improvements in spray applications and find ways to automate the quality control process, Deines predicted.
Doing so will also help the poultry industry solve some of its labor challenges, which are unlikely to go away anytime soon, he added.
4. What’s old is new again when it comes to cage free
One of the biggest downsides of the cage-free conversion that the layer industry is undergoing is the re-emergence of some old diseases, such as cholera and infectious coryza.
This could be a challenge for younger veterinarians who haven’t encountered these diseases before.
“As we move into a more modern age of better technology and devices and knowledge of what we’re doing, it should hopefully be easier and more successful than we’ve ever been before,” Tracy said. “It’s all about tapping into our historical knowledge of the industry.”
