ISSUE FOCUS 46 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE July 2024 Some of the most environmentally damaging gases produced in agriculture, such as ammonia and methane, are produced by the microbes that live within farmed animals. Current strategies for reducing emissions are dependent on careful management of diet and litter/manure with little focus paid to the root cause of the problem: the populations of microbes that fuel gas production. With new tools we are able to precisely remove or control specific microbes within a given environment, without compromising the “good” microbes that are so important for gut health and productivity. Ammonia (NH3) emissions represent severe challenges to the natural environment, agricultural productivity, and to human health. Ammonia is produced by enzymes that reside in microbes living within farmed animals. At FOLIUM Science, we are developing innovative environmental solutions using our CRISPR-Cas technology platform, Guided Biotics®, that precisely modulate these microbial populations with the aim of improving nutrient use efficiency and reducing the environmental footprint of food production. WHY FOCUS ON AMMONIA? Ammonia is a highly irritating gas that detrimentally affects the health and welfare of animals, their caretakers, and the surrounding environment. Apart from creating a foul odour, it causes irritation to the eyes, lungs and skin and increases the chances of certain diseases developing in the birds and their handlers. The UK government has committed to achieving a 16% reduction in ammonia emissions – from 2005 levels – by 2030, although reports suggest that a 50% reduction would prevent at least 3,000 premature deaths/year (The Guardian). Agriculture is the predominant source (88%) of the UK’s ammonia emissions (DEFRA) with a large proportion of this arising from animal housing and poultry production. Ammonia emissions can result in deposition of nitrogen in sensitive environments and in areas of intensive poultry production, such as the Wye Valley, this is having a profound impact on biodiversity. European directives (Council Directive 2007/43/ EC) stipulate that ammonia levels should be maintained below 20 ppm in poultry houses, but it is very common for levels to exceed 30-70 ppm in intensive poultry production. High ammonia emissions (>25 ppm) cause a range of problems to producers including reduced productivity, feed intake and feed conversion ratios. When ammonia comes into contact with moisture it forms corrosive ammonium, which can damage the lining of the birds’ respiratory tract. REDUCING AMMONIA IN POULTRY PRODUCTION WITH CRISPR-CAS Robert Habgood Head of Research FOLIUM Science
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