Vaccinating against avian influenza

Aug 28, 2024

Vaccinating against avian influenza is not new. Poultry producers in Mexico have been vaccinating their flocks for nearly 30 years now. In Canada, vaccinating against avian influenza has become a hot-button issue that has no clear answer. In a recent Canadian Poultry webinar on biosecurity, Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt, professor at the University of Montreal, talked through the pros and cons of vaccination, provided an update on the situation in France, and offered insight into what could be involved in a vaccination strategy in Canada.

The pros and cons of vaccination
Around the world, many countries have been vaccinating flocks for years, particularly against the H7 and the H5N2 viruses, and now against the H5N1 virus. Some of the countries that currently vaccinate their flocks against avian influenza include China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Mexico, Vietnam and France. The latter began its efforts in October 2023. With less than a year of experience under its belt, France serves as a strong test case for Canada, as the country’s poultry sector discusses whether or not it wants to develop its own strategy.

Vaillancourt laid out the obvious pros to adopting a vaccination strategy during his biosecurity webinar. Protecting animals from mortality, reducing the need for poultry depopulation, and reducing viral excretion and animal susceptibility to infection came out as strong reasons to vaccinate. In recent months, the focus has shifted from protecting animal health to reducing human exposure to avian influenza viruses to protect human health.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.