In our last post, we talked about what turkey microbiomes can reveal about flock health - how patterns of diversity and stability emerge when you track microbial communities over time.
When we sat down with each of our producer partners to review their data with them, the “so-what” became clear: this kind of information could significantly change how they make decisions.
“We’re Guessing, and That’s the Frustrating Part.”
In our first meeting, their staff veterinarian summed it up perfectly: “We’re guessing, and that’s the frustrating part.”
Both she and the producer saw the potential immediately. He wanted to overlay microbiome data with his mortality records:
“I like the idea of having a big database of turkey data - seeing what’s working and what’s not.”
What stood out was how our data could compliment and enhance the other data he was collecting, arming him with more insights for decision making.
The Dermatitis Problem
Another producer highlighted one of the industry’s biggest pain points: clostridium dermatitis.
In flocks that appear healthy for most of their life, he estimated that 70% develop productivity-impacting dermatitis toward the end of the cycle. They’ve tried a long list of interventions - penicillin, litter pH treatments, feed and water additives - with inconsistent results. His takeaway:
“If you find something that works, it will change the industry.”
The conversation reinforced what our data was starting to demonstrate: there are persistent, complex microbial challenges that cannot be solved without understanding the underlying ecosystem.
Innovation Without Feedback
Across all our visits, something else that stood out to us: producers are already experimenting continuously. One farm’s list of interventions included citric acid, copper sulfate, chlorine treatments, tannins, apple cider vinegar, oregano, and vitamin packs.
The problem isn’t a lack of ideas or effort. It’s that they’re innovating without enough feedback - making changes based on symptoms without the context of real-time microbial insight.
What’s Next
These conversations validated what we suspected: producers see real value in barn-level microbiome data. They also raised a lot of questions - about what patterns matter, what “normal” looks like, and how insights can translate to action.
We’re building the resources to address those questions: a comprehensive database that can help producers benchmark against healthy baselines, identify early warning signs, and make evidence-based decisions.
Our focus now is putting this next step into practice - translating barn-level microbiomes into management impact.
