South Africa takes landmark step with first-ever poultry vaccination against bird flu

South Africa is embarking on a historic milestone in its battle against avian influenza, as the country prepares to begin its first-ever vaccination campaign against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). This groundbreaking initiative comes after years of devastating bird flu outbreaks that have crippled the nation’s poultry industry, causing billions in losses and threatening food security.

The Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, announced the authorisation of this landmark vaccination programme, marking a shift from reactive culling to proactive prevention. The Department of Agriculture issued a vaccination permit to Astral Foods Limited on 30 June, authorising the company to begin vaccinating against the HPAI virus at one of its broiler breeder farms.

The vaccination campaign will commence with 200 000 broiler breeders, representing approximately 5% of Astral’s total breeding stock, valued at an estimated R35 million. The vaccine targets the H5 strain of the virus and is already approved for use in other countries implementing vaccination strategies against HPAI.

Catastrophic outbreaks

This vaccination initiative comes against the backdrop of a series of catastrophic bird flu outbreaks that have repeatedly crippled South Africa’s poultry industry over recent years.

In 2017, a severe H5N8 outbreak led to the culling of approximately 20% of the national poultry flock. This outbreak alone cost the industry around R1.8 billion and resulted in over 1 300 job losses.

The period from mid-2022 through 2023 saw South Africa grappling with what would become its worst-ever bird flu outbreak. The emergence of the clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 high-pathogenicity avian influenza spread progressively from wild birds to commercial poultry across several provinces, including the Free State, Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal.

The situation deteriorated further in May 2023 with the emergence of a highly pathogenic H7N6 strain, which proved to be more contagious than previous strains. By September 2023, this outbreak had resulted in the loss of nearly 10 million chickens, representing approximately one-third of the country’s national flock.

Minister Steenhuisen’s announcement represents a fundamental shift in South Africa’s approach to avian influenza management. Rather than relying solely on reactive measures such as culling and quarantine, the country is now embracing proactive vaccination as a cornerstone of its HPAI prevention strategy.

Preventative measures

According to Astral’s Technical Executive, Dr. Obed Lukhele, the vaccine works by stimulating immunity against H5 virus strains within a three-week period. While he emphasises that vaccination doesn’t prevent infection entirely, it significantly reduces mortality rates in affected flocks. The key benefit lies in preventing birds from succumbing to the disease, thereby avoiding the substantial financial losses associated with culling entire flocks.

Dr. Lukhele further highlights that vaccinated flocks demonstrate reduced virus shedding, which helps contain environmental contamination—a crucial factor in limiting the spread of the disease. This allows affected birds to recover and maintain production capacity, with significantly less severe impacts than would be seen in unprotected flocks.

For Astral Foods, this initiative represents more than just disease prevention. Gary Arnold, the company’s CEO, describes the authorisation as a milestone in their commitment to biosecurity and animal welfare. The company views this initial farm – representing just 5% of their breeding stock – as a blueprint for broader implementation across their operations.

Arnold sees strategic implications beyond Astral’s immediate business interests. He notes that this development provides the Department of Agriculture with a working model of the vaccination strategy, potentially paving the way for industry-wide adoption. In the context of rising global bird flu infections, he views this initiative as critical for safeguarding both food security and employment within South Africa’s poultry sector.