The first episode of the new “Unplucked” podcast produced by the Poultry Science Association (PSA) took on the topic of battling highly pathogenic avian influenza with guest Craig Rowles, DVM, general manager, Versova Farms.
“Over the last 12 to 24 months, we’ve seen widespread outbreaks that overwhelm our traditional biosecurity measures,” Rowles told Andy Vance, PSA executive director, during the podcast. “It is so widespread that we are getting direct introduction into our farms.”
Current research is focused on aerosol transmission of the virus. But Rowles believes poultry producers need more help.
“The way we manage this disease today needs to change,” he said. “It’s time to add another tool to the toolbox, and that’s a vaccine.”
The vaccine needs to be easily administered by poultry producers and be affordable. “It also has to be acceptable to our trading partners and customers, which is probably the biggest hurdle,” he added.
Success with vaccination will require a surveillance program that actively monitors for the virus on farms and follows up with depopulation.
“It is important for trading partners to understand we still want to maintain a negative status, but we will use [the vaccine] to enhance our ability to have a negative status,” Rowles concluded.
Listen to the full podcast here: Unplucked.
