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Focusing on the spread of HPAI

Highly pathogenic avian influenza has been a challenge for the egg and poultry industry for more than a decade and a task force is working to better understand how its spread. 

Mickey Rubin, vice president of research for the American Egg Board says one thing that has changed in the last 10 years is how the virus is transmitted.  “Lateral spread is very well accounted for from biosecurity practices,” he says.  “So there are multiple ways that the virus can get into a farm.”

He tells Brownfield the group is investing in research to keep producers and their operations better protected. “We’re looking at risk factors on farms,” he says.  “Where we can identify where the virus is getting in to help us identify mitigation producers to build biosecurity procedures.”

Because the virus has been detected in dairy cattle, he says multi-species collaboration will be crucial moving forward. “There are things that we can identify through research that impact all of us and help all sectors improve and become more secure,” he says.  

AUDIO: Mickey Rubin, vice president of research for the American Egg Board