South African Poultry Association braces for bird flu outbreak: 'Our farms need to be vaccinated'
If the disease strikes again, the potential loss of half the country's poultry flocks would have a devastating impact – not only financially, but also on food security.
Chicken / Pixabay: RitaE
CapeTalk's John Maytham on Good Morning Cape Town interviews Izaak Breitenbach, CEO of the South African Poultry Association (Sapa).
Listen below:
The last time bird flu swept through South Africa’s poultry sector, millions of birds were culled, resulting in a staggering loss of approximately R9.5 billion in 2023.
Now, with the disease once again spreading across Europe and the US, the South African Poultry Association (Sapa) is bracing for its arrival, fully aware that migrating birds could soon bring the virus to South Africa.
"Currently, the bird flu in Europe, is in my opinion, out of control."
- Izaak Breitenbach, CEO – South African Poultry Association
Breitenbach warns that, if the disease strikes again, the potential loss of half the country's poultry flocks would have a devastating impact – not only financially, but also on food security.
He emphasises that South Africa’s current biosecurity and culling procedures will not be enough to manage a serious outbreak, likening the situation to the catastrophe of 2023.
Reflecting on the disastrous 2023 outbreak, Breitenbach points to the situation in Europe and the US as evidence that vaccination is the only viable solution.
He highlights that South Africa already has access to three vaccines for the strain of bird flu currently affecting those areas.
Breitenbach stresses the importance of implementing strong biosecurity and monitoring protocols, but he expresses concern that the current protocols proposed by the Department of Agriculture are so "onerous" that even farms with the highest biosecurity standards may not qualify.
The association has been in discussions with the department to make these protocols more practical and achievable so that local farmers can qualify for vaccination.
Breitenbach concludes that at least 50% of the country’s farms have sufficient biosecurity measures in place to be eligible for vaccination.
"We just need to vaccinate most of the farms in South Africa to get protection in the flocks and to keep the virus low in the country, should it come."
- Izaak Breitenbach, CEO – South African Poultry Association
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.