Increased Microbial Diversity and Decreased Prevalence of Common Pathogens in the Gut Microbiomes of Wild Turkeys Compared to Domestic Turkeys
Julia Craft, Hyrum Eddington, Nicholas D. Christman, Weston Pryor, John M. Chaston, David L. Erickson, Eric Wilson
Abstract
Due to the increasingly recognized problems associated with antibiotic use in agricultural settings, poultry producers need alternative methods to control common bacterial pathogens. In this study, we compare the microbiota of wild and domestic turkeys. The results suggest that free-ranging wild turkeys carry a distinct microbiome compared to farm-raised turkeys. The microbiome of wild birds contains very low levels of poultry pathogens compared to that of farm-raised birds. The microbiomes of wild turkeys may be used to guide the development of new ways to control disease in large-scale poultry production.
Topics & Concepts
BiologyMicrobiomeMicrobiologyVirulenceEscherichia coliPoultry farmingAntibiotic resistance16S ribosomal RNAColonizationBacteriaAntibioticsVeterinary medicineBroilerPhylogenetic diversityPhylogenetic treeZoologyTetracyclineBacilliSalmonellaBacterial phylaMicrobial geneticsGut floraBacteroidesSerotypeAnimal husbandryBiotechnologyDomestic animalAnimal Nutrition and PhysiologySalmonella and Campylobacter epidemiologyPharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts