New Turkey Gut Model Transforms Poultry Science

New 3D model supports faster safer studies on turkey health issues

Blackhead disease can devastate turkey farms in a matter of days, causing high mortality and major financial losses. The disease spreads rapidly in the gut, leaving producers with limited options to protect their flocks.  

For many years, scientists struggled to study this parasite because there was no reliable way to research it outside of live birds. That challenge has now been overcome with a major scientific breakthrough. 

Researchers at Texas A&M University have created the first 3D turkey cecal organoids, offering a new tool to study intestinal disease safely and effectively. These organoids, built from turkey cecal crypts that contain stem cells, grow into miniature 3D versions of turkey gut tissue. They support digestion, immune defense and natural cell growth, allowing scientists to study disease without using live animals. 

The model was developed by undergraduate researcher Leila Chang, working under the mentorship of Dr. Yuhua Farnell in the Department of Poultry Science. After forming the organoids, the team discovered how to freeze, store and regrow them, creating a long-term resource for disease research. Because they can be thawed and reused, the organoids give scientists a sustainable platform for experiments. 

This breakthrough offers significant benefits for producers. Researchers can now test possible treatments, vaccines, probiotics and feed strategies directly in the lab before applying them on farms. The model also helps show how parasites damage tissues and how new prevention tools might work. It supports animal welfare by reducing the need for live-bird trials. 

The cecum, where blackhead disease begins, is one of the turkey’s most important digestive and immune organs. By recreating it in the lab, scientists now have a clear way to study how disease starts and how it can be stopped. 

The technology also opens the door to studying other turkey health issues including nutrition, microbiome balance and gut management practices. For Chang, the project strengthened her passion for poultry science and her goal of becoming a professor to support industry progress. 

This innovation marks a major step forward in protecting turkey flocks and supporting a stronger, healthier food system. 

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