The world’s livestock sector is growing at an unprecedented rate and the driving force behind this enormous increased consumption of animal protein is a combination of population growth, rising incomes and urbanization. One of the most sustainable source of animal protein is poultry. The poultry industry is characterized by highly efficient production systems and advanced technologies, driven by many successful companies. A successful poultry production needs knowledge in various disciplines, including management, housing and climate control, disease control, nutrition, sustainability and animal welfare. Furthermore, there is an obvious need for effective solutions for many challenges such infectious and non-infectious diseases, but also food safety, sustainability, and animal welfare, for which fundamental and applied research is necessary.
The Poultry Health Sciences Chair has been established at the faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Ghent University. The chair has been jointly established by the departments of Pathology, Bacteriology & Avian Diseases (prof. dr. Filip Van Immerseel, promoter chair) and Pharmacology, Toxicology and Biochemistry (prof. dr. Siska Croubels, promoter chair) and two Flemish companies Vetworks and Poulpharm. Prof. dr. Gunther Antonissen is appointed as chairholder. The chair is a part of a strategic cooperation agreement concluded between the different partners for the period of 5 years and 6 months.
Nowadays, the poultry research of the group of prof. Antonissen is multidisciplinary, focusing on a better understanding of the pathogenesis of infectious and non-infectious diseases, improving diagnostics, improving animal welfare and demonstrating the efficacy and safety of prevention and treatment strategies. Current research is related to gut health (alternatives to antibiotics, diagnostics), mycotoxins (e.g. impact on animal and human health, interaction of mycotoxins and infectious diseases, mechanism of action and safety of detoxifying agents), host-pathogen interaction, antimicrobial resistance, and poultry welfare (monitoring and interventions).
Go to: Postgraduate Poultry Health Sciences.
This chair offers an unique opportunity to encourage partnership with national and international industrial partners, universities, and research institutes focusing on poultry research and education.
A successful poultry production needs knowledge in various disciplines, including management, housing and climate control, disease control, nutrition, sustainability, and animal welfare among others. There is thus a high demand for trained and educated experts. Furthermore, there is an obvious need for effective solutions for many challenges, including infectious and non-infectious diseases, and increased consumer awareness of food safety, sustainability and animal welfare for which fundamental and applied research is necessary.
A collaboration between Ghent University and two companies, Vetworks and Poulpharm, will strengthen both education and research in this area of poultry health.
Time to discover the research topics and researchers of the team Chair Poultry Health Sciences. All research project and researcher are presented in a movie, click on the underlined name of the research topic or researcher to play the movie.
For more information please contact prof. Gunther Antonissen: gunther.antonissen@ugent.be or 0032 9 264 74 86
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