Project Grant 20235130040853

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** TO PROMOTE ORGANIC POULTRY PRODUCTION, WE WILL USE EDIBLE ORGANIC BUTTON MUSHROOM STEMS (MS) AS A FEED INGREDIENT. THE MUSHROOM MARKET SIZE IS ESTIMATED TO BE $50.3 BILLION AND ~300 MUSHROOM FARMS IN THE US ARE PRODUCING ABOUT 435,000 TONS OF MUSHROOMS IN 2020. CURRENTLY, ~8-10% OF THE MS AND DAMAGED MUSHROOMS ARE DISCARDED IN LANDFILLS CAUSING ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION. THE SPECIFIC RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ARE TO DEVELOP A PROCESS TO PRODUCE DRIED MS AS A FEED RESOURCE FOR ORGANIC POULTRY PRODUCTION; PERFORM CHICKEN FEED TRIALS TO EVALUATE HOW MUCH DRIED MS COULD REPLACE SOYBEAN MEAL (SBM) AND IMPACT PERFORMANCE, MEAT AND EGG QUALITY, AND STUDY EFFECTS ON HEALTH AND IMMUNITY BY DOING CHALLENGE STUDIES. APPROACHES: DISCARDED MS WILL BE CLEANED USING MULTISTAGE MECHANICAL PROCESSING, DEHYDRATION AND GRINDING TO PRODUCE SUSTAINABLE SHELF-STABLE HIGH VALUE PROTEIN FEED INGREDIENTS. EFFECTS ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, EGG PRODUCTION, EGG AND MEAT QUALITY IN CHICKENS WILL BE DETERMINED BY FEEDING DIETS CONTAINING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF MS BY REPLACING SBM. BY CONDUCTING CHALLENGE STUDIES AGAINST PATHOGENS THAT CAUSE NECROTIC ENTERITIS IN CHICKENS, WE WILL EVALUATE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF FEEDING MS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES ARE THAT THE ORGANIC DRIED MS FEED INGREDIENT GENERATED WILL HELP TO MAXIMIZE POULTRY PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY AND REDUCE THE DEPENDENCE ON SBM. THIS TRANSITION WILL HELP TO INCREASE FOOD SECURITY, INCREASE INCOME FOR FARMERS AND REDUCE FOOD WASTE THEREBY BENEFITING OUR ENVIRONMENT. THROUGH THIS INTEGRATED COLLABORATIVE PROJECT, WE WILL PROVIDE RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO MINORITIES, STUDENTS, AND POULTRY AND ORGANIC FARMERS THROUGH EXTENSION PROGRAMS.