Heat stress and respiratory infection in chickens: a novel neuroendocrine-microbiome mechanism mediating development of apec - 1. Determine the impact of heat stress at different stages of broiler…

The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service awarded a $380,001 cooperative agreement to Iowa State University under the Agricultural Research Basic and Applied Research program (CFDA 10.001) to determine the impact of heat stress on neurochemical production and the intestinal microbiome in broiler chickens. The research aims to map neurochemicals in the intestinal and respiratory systems of heat-stressed chickens and analyze the intestinal microbiome using metagenomic sequencing. It will also examine how E. coli responds to simulated chicken intestinal environments including neurochemical exposure to understand how the bacteria causes respiratory infection. The long-term goal is to provide poultry producers with novel husbandry and therapeutic approaches to prevent colibacillosis, a leading cause of mortality, through the first comprehensive neurochemical and microbiome analysis of broiler chickens under heat stress conditions. The award period is July 1, 2021 through March 30, 2024.

Heat stress and respiratory infection in chickens: a novel neuroendocrine-microbiome mechanism mediating development of apec - 1. Determine the impact of heat stress at different stages of broiler chicken growth on neurochemical production within the intestinal and respiratory systems. 2. Determine the impact of heat stress at different stages of broiler chicken growth on the intestinal compositional and functional diversity of the microbiome using shotgun metagenomic sequencing. 3. Determine how e. Coli responds to the simulated chicken intestinal environment, including exposure to neurochemicals, to understand how the bacteria cause respiratory infection in broiler chickens. The long-term goal of this project is to utilize a novel mechanistic approach to generate high-quality research data into the underlying mechanisms by which heat stress in chicken broilers can lead to the emergence of avian pathogenic escherichia coli (apec). Infection of the chicken respiratory tract with apec can result in the infectious disease known as colibacillosis which is a leading cause of mortality and economic loss to the poultry industry throughout the united states especially during the summer months. The performance of this research will lead to novel husbandry and therapeutic approaches to prevent colibacillosis due to apec by providing the first-ever neurochemical biogeographical mapping of the broiler intestinal and respiratory systems in conjunction during heat stress conditions in conjunction with comprehensive microbiome analysis. This will provide a higher level of support to poultry producers throughout the united states, especially those who operate in areas which experience high levels of heat during the year.