Improving Laying Hen Resilience to Northern Fowl Mites

Why this research is being done

Research from Associate Professor Marisa Erasmus's lab aims to understand how and why hens differ in their susceptibility to northern fowl mites so that we can improve hen welfare, inform breeding strategies and reduce the impacts of northern fowl mites without relying solely on chemical methods of parasite control.

Results

Laying hens differ measurably in their susceptibility to northern fowl mite infestation, even when housed under the same conditions, indicating that there are potentially heritable resistance traits that can be incorporated into breeding programs to reduce the negative impacts of northern fowl mites on the egg industry.

Conclusions

Research is ongoing to identify behavioral and welfare indicators of early mite infestation and heritable traits that can be incorporated into breeding programs.

Contact/Additional Information

Marisa Erasmus, Ph.D. | merasmus@purdue.edu

DOI: 10.1093/af/vfae023