MICROBIOME-BASED APPROACHES TO MITIGATE NECROTIC ENTERITIS

The overall goal of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility of manipulating gut microbiota in the mitigation of NE. We hypothesize that the gut bacteria and metabolites that are associated with NE resistance will confer protection of naïve animals to NE. Two specific objectives will be pursued: 1) Identify the gut bacteria and metabolites that are linked to NE resistance, and 2) Evaluate the efficacy of resistance-associated gut bacteria and metabolites in NE alleviation. NE-resistant and -susceptible inbred chicken lines will be subjected to NE aiming at identifying gut bacteria and their metabolites that are commonly enriched in both resistant genetic lines of chickens. Fecal microbiota from NE-resistant and -susceptible lines will be separately transplanted into naïve chickens, followed by a comparison of their efficacy in alleviating NE. Furthermore, selected gut bacteria and metabolites that are associated with NE resistance will be inoculated into naïve chickens and assessed for their role in NE mitigation.