EMPOWERING SMALL AND MEDIUM POULTRY FARMS: BOOSTING SAFETY AND PROFITABILITY WITH OXYGEN NANOBUBBLE SUPPLEMENTATION IN POULTRY DRINKING WATER.

Our long-term goal is to help small and medium farmers in developing a profitable and sustainable poultry production system by providing them with easy to use and effective oxygen nanobubble technology. We plan to adopt a hypothesis driven and science-based approach to validate the efficacy of oxygen nanobubble technology in improving the production, meat quality and disease resistance of broiler chickens. Moreover, the efficacy of oxygen nanobubble supplementation will be developed, tested and evaluated in collaboration with farmers from different regions of the U.S. Although scientific aspects of nanobubble technology appear complex, the technology is economical and easy to adopt on small and medium farms.To ensure project success and a wide outreach, we have formed a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional and multi-regional team of researchers, educators and extension faculty. We have preliminary data confirming the efficacy of oxygen nanobubbles in improving poultry performance, prior experience working with poultry and developing and delivering team-based extension programs for small and medium scale poultry farmers.Successful completion of the proposed project will provide poultry farmers with an easy to use, effective and economical invention that empowers their business and boosts profitability. Moreover, our education component will provide training to the next generation of workforce (farmers, students) through our university curriculum and extension programs. Specific objectives are described below.Objective 1. Improve gut health and production parameters in broiler chickens by supplementation of oxygen nanobubbles in poultry drinking water.Objective 2.Control Necrotic Enteritis in broiler chickens by supplementation of oxygen nanobubbles in poultry drinking water.Objective 3.Study meat quality and consumer acceptability of broiler carcass obtained from poultry supplemented with oxygen nanobubbles in drinking water.Objective 4: Conduct a cost/benefit analysis on the research, extension and education efforts of the project.Objective 5. Enhancing farmer knowledge and engagement through extension, outreach and training.Objective 6: Develop instructional materials and incorporate into existing university curriculum.