A Lethbridge Polytechnic microbiologist is building on previous work to identify antibiotic properties in native southern Alberta plants in hopes of finding a natural feed additive for the poultry industry.
Dr. Sophie Kernéis-Golsteyn is the principal investigator for research examining the effectiveness of natural phytobiotics, plant-based alternatives to antibiotics, to protect chickens against Avian Pathogenic E. coli (APEC) bacteria. The 2.5-year, $80,000 project, which will be carried out in the polytechnic’s Microbial Research Laboratory, is funded by the Egg Farmers of Canada.
Kernéis-Golsteyn’s team started in 2016 testing native plants for naturally occurring antibioitic properties, building a collection of 150 samples. This project will focus on two specific plants of the genera Rumex and Potentilla, which showed promise in the earlier research. If the plants prove to be phytobiotic candidates to control Avian pathogenic E. coli, the door could be opened for a lucrative, new crop in the area, says Kernéis-Golsteyn, a microbiology instructor at Lethbridge Polytechnic.
“There is a push to find plants that will require less water, so these native plants fit into that category,” she says, adding greater crop diversity also leads to improved soil productivity.
There are already examples of plants with antibiotic properties being added to chicken feed to reduce infection, but identifying a plant in Alberta could create a new feed source close to home, suited to our dry climate and without the added cost of shipping from far away.
Since 2018, the use of antibiotics for prevention or growth promotion has been prohibited in the livestock industry. Antibiotics can only be administered to sick animals by a veterinarian. Those provisions were the result of concerns over a growing number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and a greater consumer demand for quality food products.
There’s also a desire for more humane treatment of livestock. Ironically, moving away from conventional cages to large, open spaces can promote the spread of infection through a flock.
APEC is one of the leading bacterial causes of mortality and morbidity in poultry, resulting in millions of chicken deaths and an estimated $10 to $50 million in cost each year. The bacteria can also lead to reduced growth in chickens, representing less meat per chicken and egg production.
This work to identify new feed additives for the poultry industry also creates opportunities for Lethbridge Polytechnic students to receive a high-quality training in microbiology while working on an internationally important topic. Kernéis-Golsteyn will be assisted in her research by two polytechnic students, Alessandra Chan and John Gil Casallas. Although both have different areas of interest and career paths, they will learn to use the scientific method and develop critical thinking and presentation skills.
The research will see extracts prepared from various parts of the two plants and tested on a sample of APEC to determine if they inhibit or delay growth of the bacteria. In collaboration with Dr. Roy Golsteyn, of the University of Lethbridge, the anti-inflammatory properties of those two plants will also be tested on chicken cells in culture. If the results show promise, the extracts can also be tested in live chickens to confirm the results, with Dr. Doug Korver of the University of Alberta doing that research.
Due to the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites develop resistance to drugs designed to eliminate them. This is called antimicrobial resistance (AMR). According to the World Health Organization, there are five million associated deaths from AMR every year, and it is expected to result in up to $34 trillion USD in yearly global economic loss by 2030.
World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, with a theme of “Educate. Advocate. Act Now.” is recognized from Nov. 18-24.