The growing “no antibiotics ever” trend has veterinarians advocating the need for vaccinations even more. The Poultry Site published an article with a link to an exciting round table discussion, link to be provided below.

The discussion, sponsored by Zoetis, brought together an all-star group. They discussed how to build a stronger bird. The panel talked about how to protect a bird from the three most prevalent diseases that affect a broiler’s immune system, Marek’s, IBD and reovirus.

With the right amount of preventive measures, the future of the poultry industry does not look bleak. “If we can prevent birds from becoming immune-suppressed and getting secondary bacterial infections, we may be able to get away with using fewer antibiotics,” says Dr. Daral Jackwood, PhD, of Ohio State University. Dr. Jackwood also says that the key to prevent severe or permanent immunosuppression due to diseases like IBD is breeder vaccination.

While this might sound like specialists in this field will be able to ensure that all poultry is antibiotic-free right away, we need to manage our expectations. “I’ve worked with a number of poultry companies in the US and other regions of the world and have found one of the first things they realize is that transitioning to antibiotic-free production is not like turning a switch to get instant results. It’s a process that will require sometimes years of hard work and standardization of their procedures,” says Dr. Guillermo Zavala, DVM, founder of Avian Health International, LLC. You can read the full discussion here.

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Trish Valenzuela, CPC/ PRC • Poultry Recruiter

Trish Valenzuela specializes in recruiting for poultry feed additive companies. She has filled positions in technical support, sales, and sales management across the USA.

Trish joined Continental Search in July 2015, and through hard study, she passed two certification programs. She is now a Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and a Professional Recruiting Consultant (PRC).

Visit her LinkedIn profile to connect with her and stay updated with current poultry trends. You can reach her at (302) 248-8242, through LinkedIn, or at trish@consearch.com.