Biophysics Seminar: A model of avian influenza in broiler chicken grow out housing

Biophysics Interdepartmental Group M.Sc. Seminar BIOP*6010

Meagan Coffey, Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Disease modelling, specifically SIR modelling, has been widely used to study avian influenza in a variety of bird populations. There is, however, a gap in research of farmed broiler chicken populations in grow out housing. This gap will be investigated through ordinary differential equation models in a finite time frame to mimic food production industries. Through the use of an SIR model with a disease reservoir, finite chicken populations will be measured to determine population size at the time of processing in order to optimize profitable population size. Using a variety of mathematical analyses, farmed chicken populations will be studied to optimize healthy population size and minimize vaccination efforts. These efforts will ideally be able to apply to real world farming practices and provide reasonable estimates for vaccination effort.