Title Promoter Affiliations Abstract "Enhancing poultry Biosecurity and Health Management through capacitating farmers, veterinarians and researchers in Central and Northern Ethiopia: towards improvement of Poultry productivity(BHMEP)." "Jan Paeshuyse" "Animal and Human Health Engineering (A2H)" "Poultry production is one of the main livestock subsectors that contribute to the national agricultural GDP of Ethiopia. It requires little investment and space to start and plays important roles in generating employment opportunities, improving family nutrition, and empowering women. However, this subsector is constrained by different factors such as infectious diseases, poor husbandry and poor or no biosecurity practices. Among the infectious diseases, Newcastle disease (ND), Infectious Bursal disease (IBD), Salmonellosis, and Coccidiosis are the most important ones. This disease burden is continuously pressuring the poultry subsector, especially those with poor or no biosecurity practices. The impacts are intense in Central Ethiopia where the poultry production density is high and in Northern Ethiopia where there is an expansion in poultry production.Practicing regular sound biosecurity measures as part of the best management program will help to reduce the possibility of contracting diseases and thereby their spread. As stated by the World Health Organization (WHO)and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), biosecurity is a strategic and integrated approach to analyzing and managing risks (WHO,2010).This project aims to improve poultry productivity by addressing three focal points. The first area focuses on capacitating the farmers, farm attendants, and veterinarians with regard to biosecurity, poultry flock health management, husbandry practices, and in-time outbreak reporting. The second focus area will be enhancing the capacity of laboratories started by KEET joint project in 2019 (by this project promoters) and additional government and private labs for the betterment diagnosis of poultry diseases. The third focus area will be research targeting the four common diseases and biosecurity assessment of the farms using the biocheck.UGent tool kit (https://biocheckgent.com/)." "To provide the Flemish poultry sector a heat action plan to maintain optimal health and the welfare of their poultry" "Animal Sciences" "Main research question/goalThe overall aim of this project is to provide the poultry sector a farm-specific heat action plan. To reduce heat stress, various measures are advised, from the adaptation of management and feed techniques towards the application of climate control. This kind of recommendations were always valuable, but due to climate change and increasing frequencies of heat waves, more efforts are necessary to protect the animals. In addition to more general knowledge, a farm specific heat action plan with individually adapted improvement strategies for the Flemish poultry farmer is needed. Not only the poultry sector is requesting this but also society, in order to avoid unnecessary animal suffering.  Research approachWe identify these sub-objects: 1) We determine appropriate animal-related parameters to quantify the effects of heat stress, 2) We evaluate impact of potential incubation, management, feed, water, climate and technical strategies as well as their combinations, on the production results, health and welfare of the animals under commercial circumstances. 3) We apply and/or evaluation the best practises on individual farms. We obtain knowledge about the circumstances resulting in heat stress. We select parameters or possible predicting combinations. These scientific efforts result in 1) the development of a scientific based online tool, indicative for the initiation of the heat action plan, and 2) providing a farm specific heat action plan with recommendations which will be efficient, economic and practical feasible .  Relevance/ValorisationWe expct this action plan to make the Flemish poultry sector more socially accepted and economically stronger. Reduction of heat stress will result in a higher return on investment due to a reduced mortality percentage, reduced health problems and increased production results. By applying this heat action plan, animal welfare will be increased and more can be done than legally required. This will only benefits the sector.  Funding provider(s)VLAIO External partner(s)Proefbedrijf PluimveehouderijUGent - Fac. Wetenschappen" "Quantifying antimicrobial use and resistance in small-scale commercial poultry farms and measuring biosecurity in intensive and backyard poultry farms in Bangladesh" "Jeroen Dewulf" "Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine" "The aim of this research is to quantify antimicrobial use (AMU) and resistance (AMR) in commercial poultry production in Bangladesh. It explores the association between AMU and biosecurity, as well as AMU and AMR. Additionally, a risk-based weighted scoring system (Biocheck.UGent) is being developed to assess the biosecurity levels in backyard poultry households in low- and middle-income countries.  " "Salmonella and E. coli in poultry production systems in Kenya: Investigating antimicrobial use, resistome profiling and interventions for improvement of poultry production and human health." "Gunther Antonissen" "Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, University of Copenhagen" "Kenya’s poultry industry is linked to transmission of antimicrobial resistance genes and resistant pathogens between animals and humans. Despite existing policies for food safety, sustainable interventions applicable to different poultry production systems are lacking. This study will evaluate prevalence of AMR in E. coli and Salmonella, antimicrobial use and risk factors, and model utility of potential interventions in different production systems." "Providing the Flemish poultry sector with a heat action plan to maintain optimal health and welfare of their poultry" "Joris Michiels" "Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology" "The overall goal of this LA pathway is to provide the poultry sector with a farm-specific heat action plan for maintaining optimal health and welfare in their poultry without sacrificing technical results and return on investment." "Use of a novel compound against respiratory diseases in poultry" "The project aims at testing a noval compound against respiratory disease in poultry. The compound will be tested botn in vitro and in vivo using the model pathogen Chlamydia psittaci" "Networking European poultry actors for enhancing the compliance of biosecurity measures for a sustainable production" "Jeroen Dewulf" "Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Institut Technique de l'Aviculture, Magyar Agrár- és Élettudományi Egyetem, CENTRO DE SANIDAD AVICOLA DE ARAGON Y CATALUNA, University of Padua, CENTRO DE CALIDAD AVICOLA Y ALIMENTACION ANIMAL DE LA COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA, VETWORKS BVBA, Euroquality, ZUIDELIJKE LAND- EN TUINBOUWORGANISATIE VERENIGING, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Instituut voor Landbouw en Visserijonderzoek, SOCIETE NATIONALE DES GROUPEMENTS TECHNIQUES VETERINAIRES, University of Veterinary Medicine, French National Institute for Agricultural Research" "Poultry sector is one of the main agricultural production systems in Europe, providing 15.2 million tonnes of poultry meat and over 7.5 million tonnes of eggs in 2018, with a 21.2 billion euro turnover in poultry meat in 2015 and 960 million euro worth of eggs in 2016. It is also a very sensitive sector regarding epidemics, that can impact the sector economics (e.g. 2015 and 2017 episodes of Avian Influenza) and also foodborne pathogens (Salmonella, Campylobacter, etc.) that may have an impact on public health. Biosecurity is acknowledged as the appropriate answer for preventing disease spread and safeguarding competitive and sustainable poultry farms. Best practices are known all over Europe but compliance of farmers and other operators (e.g. transport, hatcheries, etc.) to biosecurity may not be optimum. Stakeholders need to be supported for effectively implementing biosecurity practices. Project NETPOULSAFE aims to improve biosecurity compliance in poultry farming by compiling, validating and sharing supporting measures implemented or close to being into practice in seven large poultry producing countries, thanks to a network of seven national poultry Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS). These multi-actor groups, gathering around 500 people, will be chaired and interconnected through Network Facilitators (NF) who will stimulate knowledge cross-fertilization and exchange both at national and European Union scales. Supporting measures will be collected from field and literature and analyzed from technical and socio-economic point of view to be either validated in pilot farms or directly disseminated to farmers, operators and advisors (incl. veterinarians). In-depth analysis of national contexts will enable to define tailored dissemination strategies. Material (incl. audio-visuals, factsheets, practice abstracts, e-learning modules) will be co-constructed with the National Poultry AKIS to ensure its acceptance and shared through most consulted channels and dedicated platform. Synergies with on-going activities, especially EIP-AGRI operational groups, will increase project impacts." "Research on humane methods for killing individual poultry on-farm" "Animal Husbandry, Animal Sciences" "Main research question/goalThis research study, requested by the Flemish government, evaluated the most appropriate methods to kill weak or ill chickens and turkeys.  The euthanasia has to be performed humanely to prevent unnecessary suffering of terminally ill or weak animals, according to the European Council Regulation 1099/2009. Alternative methods to kill individual poultry do exist, however, which may prove to be more animal-friendly and/or more feasible. Not all of these methods are used and some appear to be relatively unknown in the poultry sector. The aim of this research was to investigate the animal friendliness, the efficacy and the feasibility of those alternatives.Research approachFirst, surveys of poultry veterinarians as well as poultry farmers (broilers and turkeys) were done to determine which methods are already being applied in practice and what the opinion is about alternative methods.  In a second part of the study, alternative culling methods (mechanical cervical dislocation by the neckcrusher, non-penetrative captive bolt and nitrogen gas) were compared with the prevailing method for effectiveness and animal-friendliness. This was tested in an experimental setting with both broiler chickens and turkeys. To assess the effectiviness of the techniques, measurements were performed (time measurements of ceasing some reflexes, loss of posture, breathing, heart beat and autopsy). Finally, the alternative methods were applied by some poultry farmers. They filled out a questionnaire before and after testing to document their opinion about the techniques they had learned to use.  Relevance/ValorisationThis study is now complete. We conclude that the knowledge of alternative culling methods is rather limited among both poultry veterinarians and poultry farmers. Educational and didactic material is therefore warranted. This can also be extended to catching teams, transporters and slaughterhouse personnel. The tested alternative methods captive bolt and nitrogen seem to be good methods in terms of speed, certainty and duration of loss of consciousness. For the neckcrusher, however, there is still some doubt about the speed of loss of consciousness. We advise therefore to stun the animals (e.g. with percussive blow on the head) prior to using NC first. On the other hand, animals experience stress caused by taken them out of the stable. These alternative methods seem feasible for turkey farmers. However, for broiler chickens and young turkeys the advantages of these alternative methods do not suffice to recommend a replacement of manual cervical dislocation.A decision tree with recommended and possible techniques was composed, with classification of the different techniques according to loss of consciousness, stress by manipulation, feasibility and cost." "Inter-host differences in immune response against H. meleagridis in poultry" "Jan Paeshuyse" "Animal and Human Health Engineering (A2H)" "The unicellular protozoan parasite Histomonas (H.) meleagridis, which belongs to the family Monocercomonadidae and class Trichomonaida, causes histomoniasis, also known as Blackhead disease. H. meleagridis is an anaerobic protozoan parasite with flagellated (8–15 mcm) and amoeboid (8–30 mcm) forms. This disease can affect turkeys, chickens, pheasants, and a variety of other gallinaceous birds. Chickens are usually asymptomatic carriers, where turkeys have a mortality rate up to 100%. H. meleagridis is primarily transmitted in the egg of cecal nematode, Heterakis gallinarum. Chickens and other gallinaceous birds act as a reservoir for Heterakis gallinarum. Nematode eggs infected with H. meleagridis remain viable in the environment for years. Cloacal drinking, in which reverse peristalsis rapidly uptakes things into the cloaca and transmits them to the cecae, can fast transmit disease in turkeys. The pathognomonic ulceration of the ceca and necrotic lesions in the liver are used to diagnose histomoniasis. To date, no approved therapeutics or prophylactics exist to treat histomoniasis, causing morbidity and mortality in poultry. The poultry industry is suffering significant economic losses as a result of this malady. An in vivo model will be set-up to study H. meleagridis in different poultry species, i.e. turkeys, chicken and pheasant. An investigation will be conducted into the host-worm interaction and its impact on poultry immunity. To research and compare immunity in poultry species, a systems immunology approach will be used. Within this project, we will translate the differences observed between poultry species into vaccines or chemoprophylactic strategies." "Future rodent management for swine and poultry health (RODENTGATE)." "Herwig Leirs" "Evolutionary ecology group (EVECO)" "Apart from consuming and spoiling animal feed, and damaging infrastructure in and around farm buildings, rodents are a considerable threat to animal health and One Health. They can cause direct stress on pigs and poultry but are mainly important as carriers of pathogens. These include economically very significant diseases like Swine dysentery, Aujeszky's Disease, PCV2 and Encephalomyocarditis. Wild brown rats can carry Influenza A and might act as an intermediate for the transmission of avian influenza between wild birds and poultry. For some other diseases like African Swine Fever, rodents may act as mechanical reservoirs or they may support ticks that can carry ASF. Rodents also play a role in the epidemiology of leptospirosis and salmonellosis or in spreading antibiotic resistant bacterial strains such as livestockassociated MRSA. They can pick up the infection from infected pigs or poultry and spread it within and between farms, they can act as a bridge between wild fauna and livestock, and they can maintain the infection locally when a farm is emptied and decontaminated after a disease outbreak or livestock turnover. Thus, there are very good reasons for rodent management on pig and poultry farms. An important approach has always been the use of rodenticides. However, concerns about the environmental safety of the most common rodenticides has led to changes in the European and national regulations that restrict their use and pose new challenges for efficient rodent management on farms. There is also the problem of resistance against these poisons. This project RODENTGATE will investigate the rodent-related risks for animal health in the pig and poultry industry and how this might change with altered rodent control. Ecologically-based rodent management is a strategy that combines an Integrated Pest Management approach with a thorough knowledge of the rodent ecology, enabling interventions to be precisely targeted in time and space, whilst being ecologically and economically sustainable. This requires a very good understanding of the rodent demography, life history, space use, dispersal capacities as well appropriate documentation of pathogen presence and transmission patterns in the rodent population. Proper understanding of transmission mechanisms is crucial since killing hosts may have unexpected effects on the spreading of an infection. RODENTGATE's specific objectives are 1) to document changes in disease risk for pigs and poultry when classical rodent management around farms is prevented and rodent populations around farms change in abundance or composition and 2) to propose appropriate evidence-based and economically sustainable strategies for the ecologically-based management of rodents and rodent-borne infections around farms. These questions will be addressed by a multidisciplinary consortium of scientists from Belgium, UK, Germany, The Netherlands, and Poland, using a combination of analysis of existing data, sampling rodents, environment and livestock on farms, molecular diagnosis of pathogens, field work on rodent population biology and movements, ecological modelling, control strategy development and communication with the pig and poultry industry and pest control industry."