Seasonal Changes in the Microbiome of a Residential Chicken Coop
JOHN CATE, Maria King,
Texas A&M University Abstract Number: 547
Working Group: Bioaerosols
AbstractThe testing of bioaerosols in residential chicken coops to determine the microbiome composition is an under-researched area of study, as most papers tend to focus on the commercial aspect of poultry farming. This study focuses on a residential chicken coop in Texas at different seasons and weather patterns to accurately delineate the fluctuations in the microbiome composition. Testing was conducted in a closed coop setup used during different seasons in colder (winter), warmer (spring), and hotter (summer) weather. This testing allows for a minimal airflow environment in the closed coop in cold weather to compare later with an open coop test. Bioaerosol sampling was completed using a high air volume 100 L/min wetted wall cyclone bioaerosol collector developed at Texas A&M University in the Aerosol Technology Laboratory and a dry filter-based BioFlyte® BioCapture™ z720 collector operating at 200 L/min. After sampling, the bacteria were plated for colony forming unit (CFU) counts, tested for antibacterial resistance using the Kirby-Bauer method, enumerated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) for gene copy number (GCN) counts, and analyzed using Illumina Sequencing for microbiome composition. According to the American Pet Producers Association, about 10 million U.S. households had chickens in 2018, with this number increasing due to rising egg prices. Millions more homeowners can become exposed due to wind dispersing these bioaerosols around neighborhoods and farms. The results show that moving around the coop resuspends hundreds of bacteria per liter air, exposing people to potentially pathogenic microorganisms with antibiotic resistance. The study indicates that installing adequate ventilation and frequent litter removal should protect people working in residential chicken coops from inhaling harmful levels of bioaerosols.