August 25, 2023

Report urges restructuring of global industrial poultry farming to halt bird flu spread

A report by Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), a campaign group advocating for animal welfare, asserts that the industrial poultry farming sector requires a significant overhaul to curb the rampant spread of bird flu around the world, The Guardian reported.

The report contends that intensive poultry farms, rather than wild birds, are primarily responsible for the spread of the disease.

The report from CIWF found that that bird flu  is being disseminated by intensive poultry farms. The crowded conditions within these farms create an ideal environment for viruses to mutate and spread.

In contrast to the current practices, the report suggests a three-point action plan: widespread vaccination of poultry to halt the disease's propagation; a radical restructuring of the industry to foster healthier birds in improved living conditions; and a transformation in pig farming methods, as the report asserts that factory-farmed swine can serve as "mixing vessels" that generate new swine, bird, and human viruses.

CIWF has reached out to governments including those of the UK, US, and various European nations, urging collaboration with the World Organisation for Animal Health and the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation to implement these proposed measures.

The RSPCA, a prominent animal welfare organisation, concurs with the need for reform in industrial poultry farming. Dr Marc Cooper, Head of Farm Animals at RSPCA, stresses the importance of higher welfare conditions for farmed animals, including poultry, to better control diseases. Improved welfare practices contribute to reduced disease risk.

While the use of vaccines is still experimental, Dr Cooper welcomes research into possible vaccinations against bird flu. He said it is important to combine vaccinations with higher welfare farming practices and robust breeds as part of a comprehensive strategy to combat the disease.

In response to the report, Richard Griffiths, chief executive of the British Poultry Council, contends that avian influenza is introduced to the UK by migratory birds and subsequently spreads among the wild bird population. He asserts that indoor production methods in farms do not facilitate disease spread.

-      The Guardian