A consortium of industrial and research partners has come together to tackle the major environmental challenges impacting the River Wye. Nutrient management from poultry farming has been under increasing public scrutiny in the region due to phosphate pollution from poultry litter application damaging waterways. High ammonia emissions are another key issue facing poultry farmers, which can reduce on-farm productivity in animal housing by impairing the immune systems of the birds, and create a detrimental environment for farm workers. Biochar is a highly porous and carbon-rich material, produced by heating biomass in a low-oxygen environment through a process called pyrolysis. It is a promising technology capable of retaining nitrogen and phosphorus in poultry litter, reducing losses through emissions, runoff or nutrient leaching. The physical and chemical properties of biochar enable it to decrease ammonia emissions and improve conditions in poultry housing, thereby fostering better welfare outcomes. When applied to poultry litter, biochar may be effective in mitigating the impact of phosphate pollution on local ecosystems. Through developing a new line of innovative biochar products, ChickenChars, this partnership has identified an opportunity to decrease ammonia emissions and phosphorus pollution from poultry farming, benefitting farmers, locals and the wider environment.

Through this 24 months industrial research project Arden Biotechnology (global leaders in bacteriophage research) and Avara foods (one of the UK's largest poultry integrators) are developing a novel bacteriophage solution to replace banned antimicrobial growth promoters to prophylactically control the opportunistic avian pathogen _Enterococcus cecorum_ from the poultry sector. Successful development and commercialisation of the proposed solution will improve the productivity and sustainability of the UK and global poultry sector without using antibiotics thereby supporting agricultural transition to a net zero carbon emission industry through reduced feed usage and improved welfare.

This project is to develop a novel biocontrol ready for commercial sales to combat Clostridium perfringens (CP) in commercial poultry flocks. CP is the bacterium that causes Necrotic Enteritis (NE) in chickens. NE & subclinical NE are estimated to cost global poultry industry over $6bn pa due to poor feed energy conversion levels, mortalities, vet & medicine costs and higher risk of human food poisoning. It is currently controlled by antibiotics which are under pressure to be withdrawn globally in the face of the global antibiotic crisis. This project’s novel biocontrol will be a combinative narrow spectrum product specifically targeted against toxigenic strains of CP. It will act as a natural growth promoter (NGP) to be used in place of AGPs to support the global battle against AMR. Withdrawal of AGPs in animal husbandry must be combined with effective alternative NGPs to control NE if a catastrophic fall in feed energy conversion performance is to avoided. This project will build on 5Yrs of research by the UK project lead including a 3 year KTP and now brings together a UK / Chinese consortium with diverse technical and commercial capabilities to successfully bring the product to market.