Validation of an early warning system for enteric disorders in broiler farming

Enteric disorders represent a major health issue in intensive farming; these pathologies could be caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites and are a major cause of performance reduction. Monitoring of poultry health status plays a key role in farm management by reducing use of chemicals/drugs and their costs. Nowadays, antibiotics are commonly used preventively in intensive farming systems, a practice which could result in antibiotic resistance. For this reason, there is global interest in reducing the use of antimicrobials (AM). This could be achieved through Precision Livestock Farming (PLF), which can provide valuable information for the early detection of health problems in intensive farming by combining cheap technologies and specific algorithms. The experimental trial was carried out in the facilities of the Università degli Studi di Milano located in Lodi. One hundred and twenty Ross 308 one-day-old chicks were divided into two separate boxes (A and B) with standardised management conditions. Air samples from both groups were analysed with a chemical sensor array and processed with multivariate statistical software. This study aims to develop a PLF diagnostic tool which is sensitive to variations in volatile organic compounds for prompt recognition of enteric problems in intensive farming, providing support for veterinarians and enabling specific treatments to be applied in the event of disease. The innovative approach of this methodology is the capability to provide reliable real-time information and repeatable responses. The advantage of early warning is that it offers potential for using non-conventional therapies instead of AM to treat animals.