Scientists use machine learning to help fight antibiotic resistance in farmed chickens

Scientists have used machine learning to find new ways to identify and pinpoint disease in poultry farms, which will help to reduce the need for antibiotic treatment, lowering the risk of antibiotic resistance transferring to human populations.

The study, published in The ISME Journal, was led by Dr. Tania Dottorini from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science and Future Food Beacon at the University of Nottingham.

The rapid increase in poultry production to meet growing demand in China has resulted in extensive and indiscriminate use of antibiotics. This has led to a worrying increase in cases of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) diagnosed in animals, which could potentially spread to humans via direct contact, environmental contamination, and food consumption.