Vaccination must be key strategy to protect poultry farms: industry

Vaccination of chickens against bird flu must be adopted as a key and immediate strategy to protect poultry farms, food security and the economy.

This is the view of a number of experts and industry stakeholders who participated in a recent webinar hosted by FairPlay.

They said the South African poultry industry was at a crossroads because after years of investment and recovery the threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) or bird flu remained a significant challenge.

Despite the urgency to vaccinate, government regulations mandated culling of infected flocks without compensation, placing immense financial strain on farmers.

While discussions about vaccination protocols were ongoing, current requirements were too strict for even the most advanced farms to meet.

The industry was working with the agriculture department to create feasible vaccination policies that balanced biosecurity with economic viability.

Speakers noted that between 2017 and 2023 more than R2.2bn was invested in farms, hatcheries and processing facilities, leading to a significant increase in poultry production. However, the 2023 bird flu outbreak caused unprecedented losses.

More than 30% of South Africa’s poultry flocks were culled, costing the industry about R9.5bn and leading to more than 1,300 job losses in the formal sector. The ripple effects led to higher poultry prices, worsening food insecurity, particularly among lower-income households. 

Dr Takalani Mpofu, senior lecturer and chairperson of Tshwane University of Technology's animal research ethics committee, said the poultry industry contributed nearly 20% of the country’s animal product GDP.

“Yet, the 2023 outbreak proved how vulnerable we are. We cannot afford another crisis of this scale.”

Stakeholders also noted bird flu was more than just an industry concern as it posed a broader public health risk.

Prof Robert Bragg, a University of the Free State academic whose main research activity is on the control of diseases in birds, mostly poultry, highlighted the dangers where avian influenza can mix with genetic material from other species, potentially leading to highly infectious human strains. Past influenza pandemics, such as the 1918 Spanish flu, originated from similar cross-species transmissions. With the virus already infecting mammals, experts warned of the potential for a new pandemic.

“If avian influenza mutates to allow human-to-human transmission, it could be catastrophic. We must act now to control outbreaks before they escalate,” said Bragg.

Dr Shahn Bisschop, a senior lecturer at the University of Pretoria and a veterinarian, said poultry vaccination was already a routine practice in South Africa, with hatcheries achieving 99% to 99.5% efficacy. He said the same systems can be adapted for avian influenza, offering a highly effective and immediate solution.

“We vaccinate every chicken in the country against other diseases. If permitted, we could start HPAI vaccinations immediately and significantly reduce future outbreaks.”

He said the infrastructure was in place, the vaccines were available and the process is highly effective.” 

Izaak Breitenbach, CEO of the South African Poultry Association, remained optimistic about the poultry sector’s growth provided action was taken against avian influenza.

“If we vaccinate now, we can prevent another catastrophic outbreak, stabilise food prices and protect jobs,” Breitenbach said.

TimesLIVE