New data to help protect AI-threatened European poultry producers

As the number of incidents of Avian Influenza confirmed in Europe rises, pathogen control specialist Anitox has confirmed independent trial results show Termin-8® rapidly controls Avian Influenza virus in feed.

Anitox Technical Director Gino Lorenzoni explains: “Although this European outbreak was anticipated by some following incidents in the US last year, it’s none the less devastating. Dr Lorenzoni points to a US Department of Agriculture report focusing on the possibility of feed acting as a vector, transferring the virus from migratory waterfowl - which carry it but remain unaffected - to the commercial flocks which it devastates.

“A USDA report published in September, in the period after the US turkey and egg industry had been so hard hit, acknowledges two ways in which feed can be contaminated with Avian Influenza. It notes the threat from migratory waterfowl shedding the virus on corn stores, and from recontamination of finished feeds. The report also acknowledges gaps in available data that have, until now, limited its analysis. I’m delighted to confirm that we can now fill in some of those gaps in knowledge with independent research data.”

The USDA report authors refer to the absence of significant heat in production of mash feed, and confirm that ‘in this case, HPAI virus contamination present on corn could result in a direct transmission pathway to poultry’. They also acknowledge risk managers’ concerns ‘about the impact of breaches in biosecurity at feed mills and feed storage bins on farm’, confirming that ‘passerine or perching birds such as sparrows, European starlings and grackles could have been implicated in local area spread of HPAI virus in past outbreaks’.

“The fact is,” explains Dr Lorenzoni, “we simply don’t know the quantity of HPAI virus contaminating corn stored uncovered above ground, or the extent of HPAI virus contaminated wild bird feces on corn piles. Looking for HPAI, as with Salmonella, is like looking for a needle in a haystack, and with the samples currently analyzed, we’ve barely scratched the surface.”


“However, there are some things we now know that we didn’t when the USDA report was undertaken. For example, while acknowledging the unique potential of formaldehyde as a control tool, authors say they were limited by a lack of ‘direct data on the degree of HPAI virus reduction due to formaldehyde treatment of feed’ which would ‘help reduce the uncertainty’ in estimates. We now have independent results from Auburn to prove Termin-8 effectively controls the virus within one hour of application.”

Dr Haroldo Toro of Auburn University, who conducted trials jointly funded by Anitox and the US Poultry and Egg Association, will share data with delegates at the IPPE global poultry conference in Atlanta, USA, in January. He will join Anitox President and CEO Rick Phillips, and Dr Lorenzoni, to share full details of the latest research at the Anitox Breakfast Symposium on Tuesday January 26th. Tickets for the event are available free of charge by emailing reservations@anitox.com