Page 11 - Vol.39-No.8 issue

POULTRY

FOLIUM SCIENCE USING GUIDED BIOTICS® TO

REDUCE AMMONIA IN POULTRY PRODUCTION

Agri-TechE, a membership organisation conference in 2018 and is to be launched
that supports innovation in agricultural in Brazil next year. It offers good, highly
technologies, Director Dr Belinda Clarke specific, and targeted antimicrobial effects,
comments: “FOLUM Science’s approach is a with none of the bad side effects of an
good example of agri-tech that addresses antibiotic. It also has probiotic properties.
an unmet need and will quickly provide a Folium Science’s Guided Biotics®, based
return on investment.”
Improving gut health in animal produc- on CRISPR-Cas technology, have received
tion could significantly boost wellbeing and Ammonia in poultry houses is a major endorsement from the Brazilian National
productivity, according to Edward Fuchs, challenge. Unused nitrogen in the feed is BioSafety Committee (CTNBio) as a non-
co-founder of FOLIUM Science. The com- converted to ammonia by bacteria in the GM ‘new-breeding technique’ which is
pany has won funding from Innovate UK gut. Many of these bacteria – Helicobac- supporting the commercialisation of the
to extend the application of its Guided Bi- ter, Staphylococcus, Klebsiella – also cause company’s first product.
otics® platform technology to tackle the disease in poultry and humans. FOLIUM CRISPR-Cas is a defence system that
bacteria responsible for excessive ammonia Science’s technology is able to selective- has evolved in bacteria to protect them
production in the poultry house. It is the ly target and silence the genes involved against invading viruses. FOLIUM Science is
latest in a series of initiatives from FOLI- in ammonia generation in these bacteria, harnessing this natural system to manage
UM Science to tackle major challenges in weakening them so they are less able to and modulate bacteria in the microbiome.
animal production. colonise the gut and compete with ben-
Ed is keen for the UK to adopt a similar
Ed Fuchs says that gut health is key to eficial bacteria in the microbiome. approach to Brazil, saying it will accelerate
performance: “Research has shown that Ed explains that, critically, the Guided Bi- the development of new types of solutions.
even a short exposure to high concen- otics® process is not removing the bacteria:
trations of ammonia is harmful, and this “Our technology is making these bacteria “We have demonstrated that our Guided
gas is produced by enzymes from bacteria less aggressive, restoring the balance in Biotics® technology can have multiple ben-
residing in the guts of the animals. Our the microbiome, and reducing the amount efits in the control of disease and improv-
platform technology can modulate the mi- of ammonia produced. The plan for the ing performance in the poultry industry.
crobiome to reduce ammonia production future is to support the bird’s metabolism We would encourage regulators to give
and improve animal health”. in becoming more efficient at repurposing overarching approval for the technology
platform – the process we are deploying
The company will be announcing a new this nitrogen into protein.” – rather than each output needing sepa-
development at the Agri-TechE REAP con- FOLIUM Science has already produced rate approvals as it does currently, as this
ference ‘Adaptation Through Innovation; a feed additive that will protect young would enable the rapid production of the
Beyond the Comfort Zone’. The confer- chicks against common bacterial infec- products that the industry and the envi-
ence will explore strategies for creating tions such as Salmonella and E. coli. This ronment urgently need.”
opportunity from challenge. was announced at the Agri-TechE REAP

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RESEARCHERS UNCOVER NEW TURKEY GENOME SEQUENCE

A recent study from the Wageningen genome is key in calculating genomic
University & Research and Hendrix Ge- breeding values and detecting genes that
netics (Hybrid Turkeys) has uncovered results in difference in performance.
a new sequence of the turkey genome. Using a new sequencing technique called
This high-quality DNA genome sequence "trio-binning", we now have even more in-
assembly for the domestic turkey will help sight into the turkey genome. Trio-binning
us make more progress in advancing our delivered two genome assemblies – one for
genetic program to improve desirable traits each of the parental lines. This reveals dif-
that add value for our customers. ferences in genomic architecture between
The discovery of this new turkey genome lines that may explain differences in per-
sequence is the result of a long-standing formance. This genome assembly allows ing us to realize faster genetic progress in
collaboration between Hendrix Genetics us to better pinpoint and track important our products. Martijn Derks, lecturer at
and Wageningen University & Research. genes in our breeding populations. Wageningen and co-author of the article
This team continues to play a leading role How does this impact the states, "a high-quality assembly of the
in poultry genome sequencing. turkey genome, including the microchro-
value chain?
What is genome sequencing? This new sequence assembly is an im- mosomes, will yield valuable insights into
turkey genetics, evolution, and the genetic
Genome sequencing is the laboratory portant tool for detecting genes that con- basis of complex traits. These findings can
process that determines and assembles the tribute to certain traits. Detection of genes greatly benefit breeding programs aimed
complete DNA sequence of an organism's will also allow us to further improve the at enhancing the health and productivity
genome. Having a high-quality reference efficiency of our genetic programs, allow- of domestic turkey populations."

Vol. 39 No. 8 9
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