PIC Update: May 2015

The Poultry Industry Council (PIC) is partnering with Zoetis to deliver a one-day education and extension event for Ontario poultry producers in Stratford on June 18, 2015.

Poultry Health Day offers producers an in-depth analysis of current and emerging poultry health issues, together with practical advice that can be applied in the barn.

The event is something that PIC hosted in the past, and  the organization felt its resurrection would be valuable. Given the recent outbreaks of Avian Influenza in British Columbia and Ontario,  the event will provide a  good opportunity for producers to hear about some of the lessons learned from these outbreaks, and think critically about the systems and practices being used — for example, the realities of dealing with a disease outbreak and what it really takes to be prepared for disease.

The PIC holds annual Producer Updates in the fall and early winter, and each update begins with a one-hour presentation on regional health issues by a poultry veterinarian.  These presentations often generate a lot of questions, but often there is not adequate time to address them. Having a day specifically devoted to health issues will thus be beneficial.

 “Our goal in hosting this event is to raise the overall level of poultry health in Ontario,” says Keith Robbins, Executive Director of the Poultry Industry Council.

In the morning, producers will learn about emerging diseases being tracked both in the lab and in the field, examine the cost of disease on the farm, and catch up on the latest findings from Reovirus researchers.

Dr. Raja Krishnan, Senior Director with the Swine and Poultry Biologicals division of Zoetis, is the day’s featured guest speaker. Using examples such as the company’s new vaccine for Georgia 2008 infectious bronchitis virus (GA 08 IBV), Dr. Krishnan will explain how the company develops solutions to emerging and re-emerging animal health issues and diseases. The GA 08 IBV vaccine, developed by Zoetis in collaboration with the USDA and the University of Georgia, has performed well against the disease in affected states in the southwestern US.

The afternoon’s presentations look at the practical implications of disease on the farm. Topics include lessons learned from the recent avian influenza outbreaks, high early chick mortality, and challenges and strategies related to growing birds without antibiotics. The session will wrap up with a producer’s perspective on disease and a talk on the role of biosecurity on the farm.

To register for Poultry Health Day, click on the Education, Extension and Events tab at poultryindustrycouncil.ca.