Livestock integration can restore synergies between animal and plant agriculture, long the cornerstones of sustainable farming. For example, pastured chickens (Gallus domesticus) might feed heavily on pests and weeds while generating nutrient-rich manure, benefiting crops. But chickens also might eat beneficial predatory, detritus-feeding or pollinating arthropods, or spread harmful bacteria (e.g., Campylobacter, Salmonella) that endanger food safety. Unfortunately, there have been surprisingly few holistic studies of pastured chickens’ ecological roles, both good and bad, on highly diversified mixed-vegetable farms. This leaves growers unable to predictably weigh the benefits and risks of crop-chicken integration. Working in cooperation with our grower collaborators, we propose to: (1) Detail chickens’ feeding on pest and beneficial insects, and weeds, through molecular analysis of dietary-DNA remains in chicken feces, (2) Track likely sources of chicken exposure to Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria using whole-genome pathogen sequencing, and (3) Quantify the birds’ net impacts on arthropods, weeds, and soil microbes, through on-farm chicken exclusion experiments. Our “Chicken Dinner” outreach effort will recruit grower citizen-scientists from across the southeastern U.S. to submit samples from their own pastured flocks for diet and pathogen analysis, so they can assess the ecosystem services (and disservices) their birds are providing. Our ultimate goal is to provide growers with practical tools to maximize the benefits of pastured chickens, while minimizing any dangers, as part of whole-farm planning. We address both Sustainable Agroecosystem priorities by developing new approaches to significantly increase several ecosystem services, while improving managed system biodiversity and sustainability.
Funder: USDA NIFA
Amount: $749,434
PI: William Snyder, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Department of Entomology