Funded projects for industry priorities

The Canadian Poultry Research Council, (CPRC) completed its 2016 funding process at the board of directors’ June meeting by providing funding approval for seven research projects that address several poultry industry priorities.  Final approval for some projects is based on the researchers securing full funding for their proposed research projects, while other projects are fully funded and ready to commence. The board also awarded the 2016 Postgraduate Scholarship.  Both the 2016 funding process and Postgraduate Scholarship were extremely difficult tasks, given the high caliber of the applicants.

LAYERS AND BROILERS
Three projects that received funding support from CPRC precisely address the layer, broiler and broiler breeder industries directly. Elijah Kiarie, a newly appointed assistant professor at the University of Guelph (UofG) will perform research investigating the optimal feed structure for promoting pullet gut and skeletal development for enhanced layers productivity. This study will determine the comparative effects of introducing diet structure at pullet and/or laying phases to test the hypothesis that introduction of diet structure in pullet rearing is beneficial to layer hen productivity.  

Doug Korver at the University of Alberta will research the effect of barn sanitation on performance, microbiological and processing traits of commercial broilers.  The research project will provide an understanding of the linkages between barn sanitation, innate immune activation, broiler productivity and processing traits, food safety and a thorough economic analysis of those characteristics.  

Martine Boulianne at the University of Montreal will perform a broiler breeder national survey on food-borne pathogen prevalence, antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use.  This study will fill knowledge gaps in understanding the ecology of enteric organisms and antimicrobial resistant organisms and antimicrobial use in broiler chickens in Canada.

POULTRY HEALTH
The remaining four research projects encompass poultry health, a major industry priority. Douglas Inglis, an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada scientist, will conduct research on alternatives to antibiotics using a novel symbiotic technology to mitigate enteric inflammatory disease.  The project objective is to develop tailored probiotics as a non-antibiotic treatment for these enteric inflammatory diseases.  Juan Carlos Rodrigues-Lecompte, an associate professor at the University of Prince Edward Island, will investigate nutritional regulation of genes associated with avian B cell receptors involved in innate and adaptive immunity.  The overall objective of this research is to establish a chicken model of nutritional intervention to regulate immunity through nutrients.  Shayan Sharif, also at the UofG, will perform research to determine if it is possible to control avian influenza (AI) virus transmission among poultry.  Avian influenza viruses are of great importance to poultry health and viability of the poultry industry in Canada and across the globe.  The research involves development of vaccine formulations that can effectively control virus shedding.  Another novel aspect of this research is combining experimental findings with modeling and cost-benefit analysis to inform decisions in regard to control measures against AI.  Joenel Alcantara, an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Calgary, will research an inexpensive plant-derived multi-component vaccine for poultry coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis.  The research aims at expressing these components in plant organisms to reduce the cost of isolating the antigens from their native hosts.

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS
Several strong applications were received for the 2016 CPRC Postgraduate Scholarship.  Charlene Hanlon, UofG graduate student under the supervision of Grégoy Bédécarrats, was selected by the CPRC board of directors as this year’s scholarship recipient.  Her research objectives are to clarify the dynamics of the reproductive system in layer hens and apply these findings to promote better management of pullets and adult birds.  Specifically, her studies will determine the factors behind the early start and extended laying period observed in commercial hens.

CPRC, its board of directors and member organizations are committed to supporting and enhancing Canada’s poultry sector through research and related activities.  For more details on these or any other CPRC activities, please contact the Canadian Poultry Research Council, 350 Sparks Street, Suite 1007, Ottawa, ON, K1R 7S8. Phone: 613-566-5916, fax: 613-241-5999, email: info@cp-rc.ca, or visit us at cp-rc.ca.