Scientific Validation

For THRIVE-RITE to identify solutions to agricultural problems, products must be validated in both academic and large-scale commercial settings. This approach is highly rigorous. Under challenge conditions, academic institutions will test product efficacy as follows:

	Institution/Enterprise
Enhancing productivity as measured by ADG & FCR	AFBI, UCD, UTP
Reducing mortality	AFBI, UCD, UTP
Reducing levels of pathogenic bacteria and viruses	AFBI, UCD, UTP
Increasing antibody transfer to offspring via maternal transfer	AFBI, UCD, TIR
Increasing protection of embryo by in ovo application of bioactive	AFBI, UTP, DA
Improving meat quality and antioxidant content in pig & poultry	UCD, UOM, TIR
Enhancing gut health & peripheral immunity	AFBI, UCD, UTP, TIR

Validation Stage 1:

Products will be tested on research farms by the academic groups as follows:

Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast (UK)

Parameters tested:	ADG, FCR, PCV-2 virus, gut health & peripheral immunity
Application:	Direct to the animal, transfer to offspring via maternal transfer & in ovo
Animal models:	Pig and Poultry

University College Dublin (Ireland)

Parameters tested:	ADG, FCR, Salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter, gut health & peripheral immunity, meat quality
Application:	Direct to the animal, transfer to offspring via maternal transfer
Animal models:	Pig and Poultry

University of Technology and Life Sciences in Bydgoszcz (Poland)

Parameters tested:	ADG, FCR, Salmonella, E. Coli, Campylobacter, gut health & peripheral immunity
Application:	In ovo technology
Animal models:	Poultry

University of Molise (Italy)

Parameters tested:	Meat Quality
Application:	In ovo technology
Animal models:	Poultry

Validation Stage 2:

This phase provides an additional level of validation by demonstrating the effects of products in a commercial setting. These conditions will represent the normal commercial farm setting with increased risk of bacteria infections and viruses. Several tests in Validation Stage 1 will be repeated on a large scale by Drobex- Agro Sp. Z O.O. (Poland) and Truly Irish Country Foods Ltd. (Ireland). Trials will be designed and implemented under the supervision of University College Dublin (Ireland) and University of Technology and Life Sciences in Bydgoszcz (Poland).

For details on solutions which my be derived through the validation process, please click here: Potential Solutions