2025 Egg FORUM SPEAKER SUPPORTERS
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a serious challenge for the poultry industry. The initial outbreak of 2015 created many opportunities for shared learning. One of the more significant findings was the incidence of lateral transmission from farm to farm through a variety of fomite transfers. The industry responded and invested millions of dollars in capital improvements and associated biosecurity procedures. Those measures did significantly reduce the cases of lateral transmission; however, the more recent outbreak has shown that this virus continues to enter farms despite rigorous biosecurity measures. The industry determined in early 2025 that it was time for a change in strategy. A task force was formed to present the industry suggestions regarding a vaccination and surveillance strategy for the USDA to consider. This talk will educate the producer on the specific aspects of the industry plan. It will also update the audience on the status of the plan at USDA.
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) remains a major challenge for poultry health management. This field trial evaluated the efficacy of HPAI vaccines under natural field conditions in commercial layer flocks. This presentation focuses on discussing the results of two challenge studies, performed at 8 and 24-weeks of age. Key parameters were assessed including seroconversion, reduction in clinical signs, mortality, virus shedding, and transmission to sentinel chickens. Results demonstrate how vaccination can alter infection dynamics and contribute to outbreak mitigation strategies. Attendees will gain insights into vaccine-induced protection, potential epidemiological implications, and a preview of the role of vaccination in integrated HPAI control programs.
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) virus is carried by wild waterfowl and it’s not clear if that will change in the near future. The virus can spread rapidly among poultry and there is evidence for airborne introduction of the virus into in addition to mechanical spread. This presentation will discuss the sources of virus that can get into poultry houses, what we know about airborne spread of HPAI through different studies, and some possible interventions that can limit the risk of virus introduction.
This presentation is forged from experiences and lessons learned during our 2024 responses to HPAI. Topics will include advanced planning and preparation, flexibility in response in various states, communication and engagement with local, state and federal human health and animal health agencies, logistics in establishing the clean/dirty line, employee and contractor screening and monitoring throughout each day of the response, PPE, and after action debriefs.
PIC’s PRRS-Resistant Pig was developed to protect pigs from one of the most devastating swine diseases around the world, the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) virus. A recent study from Iowa State University reported that PRRS costs $1.2 billion per year, in the U.S. alone. At any given time, greater than 60% of sow herds are PRRS positive in the U.S. and PRRS is endemic in most major pork producing countries with more than 60 countries having reported PRRS outbreaks. Pig farmers have tried to protect their pigs from PRRS by relying on tools like vaccines with limited success – vaccines only reduce symptom severity but they do not prevent PRRS. Now PIC, in conjunction with university researchers, has developed a solution that aims to alleviate the impact of the virus: Pigs that are resistant to PRRS. Using gene editing technology, PIC developed PRRS-resistant pigs by deleting a portion of a specific protein the virus needs to cause infection. This genetic innovation can make pigs resistant to the PRRS virus, which could improve animal health and welfare, reduce the need for antibiotics, and enhance farm sustainability. Join Lindsay in discussing PIC's path to and next steps for the PRRS-Resistant Pig.
As the demand for high quality protein increases, the pressure to improve poultry production subsequently rises, which not only includes growth and efficiency but also the ability to combat pathogens. The use of genome editing has the potential to significantly enhance poultry production through targeting genes related to specific traits of interest and integrating these genetic changes within a few generations. Importantly, genome editing allows for the acquisition of certain traits, such as pathogen resistance, that likely cannot be selected through traditional breeding approaches alone. However, the application of genome editing in poultry has been limited compared to other livestock species. The two main methods for genome editing in poultry include 1) the injection of viral vectors containing transgenes or gene editing systems into the blastoderm and 2) the collection and culture of primordial germ cells followed by genome editing and injection into a donor embryo. Nevertheless, the efficiency of obtaining genome-edited birds through these methods is still relatively low. Recently, new emphasis has been placed on improving the efficiency of genome editing in poultry as well as creating genome-edited birds that could greatly benefit the industry. These tools will help scientists and producers develop safer, more economical poultry products for consumers and improve the health and welfare of the birds. Come learn about where the industry stands regarding this technology.
Accurate and rapid diagnosis of any disease to establish positive or negative status is essential for any outbreak control efforts. Infectious Coryza (IC) caused by Avibacterium paragallinarum (AP) is a re-emerging disease in the poultry industry. Non-pathogenic Avibacterium paragallinarum (npAP) has been recently discovered to be widely spread in Naïve-Healthy Layer (NHL) flocks across the US. This newly discovered npAP population is causing a significant diagnostic confusion in the face of an expanding epidemic, which in turn is hampering prevention, control and eradication efforts. In this lecture, a summary of research results towards improved IC diagnostic assays (differential qPCR and sequence typing) to restore our diagnostic confidence towards such an impactful disease. Using improved diagnostics, a surveillance study of NHL flocks across 13 states was conducted to estimate the magnitude of the diagnostic problem. Additionally, several npAP isolates were used in a challenge study to investigate their pathogenicity and immunogenicity, or lack thereof against pAP. Impacts of these results will provide a much greater understanding of AP as a chicken pathogen and will enable the potential future development of targeted treatments and modified live vaccines, critical for current, and future, IC outbreaks control. Join us as Dr. El-Gazzar summarizes the applied research and its impact on the daily operations of the layer industry health professionals and producers towards maintaining IC free layer population.
