Reducing Campylobacter in Broiler Chickens Through Probiotic Interventions

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) seeks research proposals for a field-trial study to evaluate whether commercially available probiotics can reduce or delay Campylobacter colonisation in broiler flocks under real-world intensive farming conditions in the UK. Campylobacter is the leading cause of bacterial foodborne illness in the UK, with chicken meat as the primary exposure source; 60% of UK broiler flocks carry the pathogen at slaughter. Current food chain interventions do not reliably eliminate this pathogen, making on-farm reduction a priority. The research must answer two key questions: (1) Can commercial probiotic formulations reduce or delay Campylobacter colonisation in broiler guts and subsequently reduce carcass contamination at processing? and (2) What impact do these formulations have on animal welfare and production performance, including mortality, growth rate, feed conversion efficiency, and flock health? The study will be conducted across multiple phases with built-in break clauses at key milestones, allowing the FSA and research team to review findings and decide whether to continue or terminate the project based on sufficient evidence of effectiveness.