Improved management strategies for chicken health based on emerging threats

The project will take the form of a desktop review and feasibility study, with recommendations for future research and development (R&D) efforts required to bring a suitable solution to market. To this end, the research team will perform a systematic literature review to search for products that optimise animal welfare outcomes and are suitable for mass application on-farm. The lethal dose 50 (LD50) for each of the considered chemicals in chickens will be reviewed, exploring in greater detail chemicals that birds are particularly susceptible to, using the ‘Achille’s heel’ approach previously applied in similar work for the beef, sheep, pork, and wildlife sectors. The research team will investigate the pharmaceutical, pharmacodynamic, and pharmacokinetic properties of veterinary chemicals, and other toxins and toxicants that allow single stage killing of other animal species. The same properties for veterinary chemicals that are used to achieve sedation or anesthesia in other animal species will also be investigated. Furthermore, the project team will identify any leading candidates and propose R&D efforts to confirm their utility for poultry culling, and assess occupational health and safety (OHS) risks for staff involved in chemical handling and administration. Made possible through the team assembled, the research will draw from existing knowledge and previous work conducted in recent years, providing excellent value for money.