News item | 10-03-2025 | 08:00
The pilot for the vaccination of poultry against bird flu has started. After a successful first phase of the field test, this important step can now be taken. Minister Femke Wiersma (LVVN) and the poultry sector work together to make large -scale vaccination possible step by step. Vaccination plays an important role in considerably reducing the risk of bird flu outbreaks in poultry, which contributes to better protection of both animal and public health.
Minister Wiersma, LVVN: “I am happy that the poultry sector wants to take this step with me. Vaccination offers a huge opportunity to better control bird flu. With this pilot we are taking an important step towards a responsible and large -scale deployment of vaccination. ”
Goal and approach
The pilot is an essential step to gain practical experience with vaccination. On the one hand, the aim is to investigate how the market responds to the sales of the products and on the other hand to gain experience with the implementation of the surveillance program. This program ensures that a possible infection on an vaccinated company is quickly detected.
The pilot runs until the beginning of 2027 and starts on one poultry farm, with possible expansion to several companies. Chicks are vaccinated in the Broederij and will eventually be placed on a laying company as laying hen. The eggs of these hens are only deposited within the Netherlands, so that trade with third countries is not impeded.
Step -by -step introduction
Large -scale vaccination requires a step -by -step approach. A direct large -scale introduction requires expansion of the veterinary infrastructure and a well -organized sales of the products. In addition, this may have considerable trade, which makes extra trade agreements necessary. That is why the Ministry of LVVN opts for a gradual introduction, so that both effectiveness and the economic impact can be properly monitored.
This pilot is looked at with interest. The Netherlands is committed to broad international acceptance of vaccination against bird flu, so that Dutch poultry farms are better protected against future outbreaks.