Integrated poultry producer Astral Foods has been granted a permit by the Department of Agriculture (DoA) to vaccinate one of its broiler breeding flocks against Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).

The approval allows Astral to start with a vaccination strategy on one of its largest broiler breeding farms in Gauteng.

This proactive approach to disease prevention will see the approved farm, which represents about 5% of Astral’s total breeding stock, vaccinating chickens in the coming days.

The permit follows a rigorous application process that spanned 18 months and imposes strict conditions on Astral to proceed with the vaccination.

Astral will use a commercially available H5 strain vaccine supplied by an international manufacturer, which has been used in other parts of the world with allowed vaccination strategies to curb bird flu.

A vaccine for the local strain, H7, that South Africa encountered during the severe 2023 HPAI outbreaks, still awaits final registration.

The requirements under which Astral has been granted permission to vaccinate include strict control of the vaccine through prescription for use by a poultry veterinarian and controlled supply by the relevant animal health company. 

Equally important is the storage and security of the vaccine stocks by the poultry producer, which will be audited by the DoA.

The vaccinated poultry breeding stock have to be kept under very strict biosecurity conditions and will be subjected to extensive weekly and monthly surveillance using molecular diagnostic techniques for possible challenges from any prevalent strains of the virus in the field.

Surveillance of the vaccinated birds will be under the supervision of a team of private poultry veterinarians, as well as State veterinarians.

In addition, the progeny of the vaccinated poultry breeding stock has to be completely traceable in the downstream poultry integration, and compliance at this level is critical. 

Astral technical executive Dr Obed Lukhele says the vaccine will ensure the chickens develop immunity to infection from any potential circulating strain of the H5 virus in the field.

“This immunity will develop within three weeks of being vaccinated. The vaccine is designed to prevent the birds from succumbing to bird flu infection through the immunity that they will develop,” Lukhele adds.

Importantly, the vaccine does not prevent infection from an H5 bird flu virus, but the producer will at least not suffer huge financial implications from losing their breeding stock or having to cull the birds owing to infection.

A vaccinated flock will also reduce virus shedding and reduce widespread contamination of the environment from the virus.

Moreover, the vaccine allows the birds to recover and continue production, as the impact of an infection in the field is far less severe than if the birds were not protected by vaccination.

Astral CEO Gary Arnold commends his team for having worked relentlessly on the vaccination application and ensuring the company meets stringent vaccination protocols.

“This milestone marks a significant step forward in Astral’s ongoing commitment to biosecurity and safeguarding animal health and welfare, while ensuring the sustainability of its operations,” he adds.  

Astral plans to apply for more farms to be approved for vaccination.

“This breakthrough will now allow commercial application of the available vaccine in South Africa for the first time.

“Given the global rise in bird flu infections, this development represents a critical step in ensuring food security as well as protecting jobs in South Africa. We see this approval as a great advancement in the fight against bird flu and it reinforces Astral’s leadership in responsible poultry production,” Arnold concludes.