Colombia, Latin America’s fourth largest broiler and egg producer, has announced that it will allow vaccination against avian influenza (AI) and is drawing a national vaccination plan.
The decision was taken by the private/public national poultry commission, which comprises representatives from both the public and private sectors, late last year but has only now been announced.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza was first reported in Colombia in October 2022. Stringent biosecurity measures within the poultry industry have managed to keep the virus out of commercial production. Since the virus entered the country 66 outbreaks of the virus, with 60 being in backyard flocks and six in wild birds.
According to government body the Colombian livestock institute (ICA), the potential high economic and social impacts that spread of the HPAI virus could have on commercial poultry farming warrants adopting a vaccination program. ICA is now working on a regulatory framework and guidelines as to how it should be implemented.
In February last year, ICA approved the creation of a vaccine bank, following the emergence of the virus the year before.
