April 29, 2016

Probiotics for Turkeys: Microbiome Analysis through qPCR Assay Formation

Jen Scalze '16

Microbiome analyses have increased in the last decade especially through the Human Microbiome Project. Microbiome analysis of other organisms is equally important and with the implementation of the Veterinary Feed Directive Final Rule, in December 2016 feed antibiotics for the purpose of growth promotion will be banned through the Food and Drug Administration. Without antibiotics for growth promotion, a probiotic complex will need to fill the gap in the market for increasing livestock weight and feed efficiency. Poultry are especially in need of a dietary enhancement substance as the time from hatch to market is substantially shorter than that of other livestock, leading to reliance on growth enhancers more than other species. Focusing on turkeys, through rigorous testing four marker species were identified that were markers of gut health including: Lactobacillus avairus, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Segmented Filamentous Bacteria, and Clostridium bartlettii. Utilizing quantitive polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) an assay was produced that was able to quickly and effectively test for these marker species. In the future commercial turkeys could eventually have custom probiotic formulas created to increase overall gut health, growth, and feed efficiency without the use of feed-based antibiotics.

How visual edge features influence cuttlefish camouflage patterning

Chichi Vue '16