A comprehensive probiotic-based approach to promote layer performance, layer health and egg safety for small and midsize farms

Based on stakeholder inputs, our goal in this proposed project is to assist small and midsize farmers with improving the sustainability of their enterprise. Our overall goal is the development of a probiotic-based comprehensive, feasible, user-friendly and cost-effective strategy to promote layer performance, health and egg safety. This in turn, is expected to help promote the sustainability, viability, competitiveness and economic efficiency of small and midsize egg producers. Specifically, by supplementing probiotics we aim to i) improve feed efficiency, egg production, hen health and reduce mortality ii) reduce Salmonella colonization in chickens and reduce pathogen transmission to eggs (pre-harvest) iii) reduce Salmonella contamination on shell eggs (post-harvest) as a means to reduce the variable costs associated with production. Additionally, we will perform a cost-benefit analysis to evaluate the economic feasibility of the proposed interventions. We aim to achieve this by actively engaging farmers as key participants in the development and evaluation of the proposed approaches.