Migratory waterfowl are a primary source of avian influenza transmission to poultry operations, prompting Alveo Technologies and AgriNerds to develop a surveillance system that combines bird movement monitoring with rapid on-farm testing to help producers identify elevated disease risks earlier. Photo by Usha Kiran on Unsplash
Poultry producers may soon have access to a new tool designed to improve how they monitor and respond to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) threats.
Alveo Technologies and AgriNerds have announced a partnership that will combine rapid on-farm molecular testing with real-time monitoring of migratory bird activity. The goal is to provide poultry farmers with dynamic risk assessments that help determine when surveillance testing is most needed.
The system will integrate Alveo's rapid molecular diagnostic technology with AgriNerds' Waterfowl Alert Network, which generates farm-level HPAI risk scores using satellite imagery, weather radar, telemetry data, remote sensing technologies, and disease surveillance information.
According to the companies, migratory birds remain a significant source of avian influenza infections. They point to US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service data indicating migratory birds have been linked to 68 percent of US H5N1 outbreaks since 2022.
Many producers currently rely on testing after birds exhibit symptoms, while others conduct regular surveillance testing regardless of risk levels. The companies said their new approach is intended to help farmers focus testing efforts when disease risk is elevated.
“When risk escalates, Alveo's on-farm molecular test will help farms to conduct asymptomatic surveillance testing that provides precise results in under an hour, as opposed to waiting days for traditional PCR results to arrive from a lab,” the companies said in announcing the partnership.
Shaun Holt, Chief Executive Officer of Alveo Technologies, said the system is designed to provide producers with actionable information that supports faster decision-making.
“To stop the spread of HPAI, producers need tools that will enable them to monitor risk and, when it’s elevated, employ rapid, accurate tests so they can take quick action and prevent further infection," said Holt. “This dynamic solution will aggregate and simplify rich data from AgriNerds’ and deliver sophisticated risk assessments to users’ phones in a simple red, yellow and green format. They can then run surveillance tests based on informed risk and rapidly respond if bird flu is detected.”
The companies also plan to use testing results to refine the system over time. As more positive and negative test data are collected, the organizations expect risk assessments and testing recommendations to become increasingly accurate.
Maurice Pitesky, professor at UC Davis and Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of AgriNerds, said the collaboration can help producers take a more proactive approach to disease management.
"Biosecurity extends far beyond the facility's fence line," commented Pitesky. "Our Waterfowl Alert Network gives farmers visibility into the dynamic risk landscape around their operations. When paired with Alveo's testing capability and rapid results, farmers can respond to real risks in real time. In this way, agriculture can move past reactive disease management to adopt a proactive, risk-informed approach."
AgriNerds develops remote sensing and risk assessment tools for livestock and poultry producers. The company's Waterfowl Alert Network is currently used by more than 1,500 farms across 25 states and provides daily and historical risk predictions related to avian influenza activity.
For more information, visit www.agrinerds.com and www.alveotechnologies.com.