Poultry Farmers Urged To Use Extra Bio-Security To Prevent Avian Influenza

Apr 30, 2015

The USDA says poultry farmers need to take extra precautions to prevent the spread of the H5N2 virus or avian influenza.

During a recent press conference, Dr. David Swayne, from the USDA's Southeast Poultry Research Lab, said the USDA is working with the Centers for Biologics to develop a vaccine, but it is still early days. He said however, it is imperative poultry farmers continue to practice good biohazard procedures.

"We are working on a potential vaccine strain that can be used as an inactivated vaccine. We're making progress on this, but it's a multi-step process," he said. "Once we complete our work, which will include testing on chickens and turkeys, the decision to use that vaccine will only be made if it's necessary in the regulatory process of the eradication. So the process of using vaccines will only be decided by the Animal Plant Protection Service in consultation with the State lab."

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Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.