E. COLI IS A BACTERIA THAT CAUSES DEVASTATING DISEASE PROBLEMS FOR CHICKENS AND TURKEYS BEING RAISED FOR MEAT CONSUMPTION. EVEN THOUGH E. COLI IS PRESENT IN EVERY CHICKEN OR TURKEY, WE DO NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND WHY SOME BIRDS GET SICK AND OTHERS DO NOT. VACCINES ARE OFTEN USED TO CONTROL E. COLI DISEASE IN BIRDS, BUT THESE DO NOT ALWAYS WORK AS EXPECTED. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ECOLOGY OF E. COLI POPULATIONS THAT CIRCULATE WITHIN A POULTRY FARM, AND HOW VACCINATION SHIFTS E. COLI POPULATIONS IN DIFFERENT ANATOMICAL LOCATIONS WITHIN THE BIRD, AND IN THEBARN ENVIRONMENT. TO DO THIS, WE WILL PARTNER WITH TURKEY PRODUCERS IN MINNESOTA TO COMPARE FLOCKS THAT HAVE BEEN VACCINATED FOR E. COLI VERSUS THOSE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN VACCINATED, STUDYING THE POPULATIONS OF E. COLI USING THEIR GENOMES. WE WILL ALSO USE THESE FLOCKS TO UNDERSTAND HOW E. COLI MIGHT BE SPREAD FROM THE PARENTS (BREEDERS) TO THEIR PROGENY THAT GET RAISED FOR MEAT CONSUMPTION. WE WILL USE THIS INFORMATION TO PREDICT WHEN VACCINES WILL WORK, AND WHEN THEY WILL NOT BE EFFECTIVE ON THE FARM. THIS WORK WILL GREATLY ADVANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE DYNAMICS OF E. COLI WITHIN THE CHICKEN OR TURKEY, AND WILL ENABLE POULTRY PRODUCERS TO PREDICT THE BEST STRATEGIES BY WHICH TO CONTROL E. COLI DISEASE ON THEIR FARMS.