HEAT STRESS MITIGATION AND NUTRITIONAL STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF PASTURED POULTRY

The goal of this projectis to evaluate early age thermal conditioning and nutritional strategies to improve the health and welfare of chickens raised on pasture. Theobjectives of this project are:i. Evaluate the performance effects, stress response parameters, and bird behavior indicators of early age thermal conditioning, and feeding tryptophan(Trp) and pre and probiotic supplemented diets, to mitigate the effects of acute heat stress on two breeds of chickens (fast growing commercial broilers (FGB) and crossbred slow-growing broiler breed, (SGB)raised on pasture. ii. Evaluate carcass microbial levels and fecal microbiome from two breeds of chickens (FGB and SGB) raised on pasture fed Trp and pre and probiotic supplemented diets.iii. Establish a pasture poultry extension program at UMES to assist poultry growers in the region.