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Cape Town - The spotlight this week has been on the role of poultry health professionals on continents such as Africa and their importance in boosting global poultry production of a commercial nature or that of the subsistence or small-scale producer.
As the 19th Congress of the World Veterinary Poultry Association (WVPA 2015 Cape Town) drews to a close, discussions have been fruitful and have centred around topics such as poultry diseases and welfare as well as ways to boost poultry production both on a subsistence scale as well as for the commercial or small scale producer by ensuring healthy flocks.
The congress found communities must be empowered with knowledge to sustainably raise chickens and eggs to feed themselves, notably those from rural villages.
Research indicates that the raising of poultry in rural villages is often a role under the control of women who, in turn, actively participate in improving the nutrition of their household. By extension, they tangibly improve socio-economic conditions within their community.
Through decreasing mortality in chickens as well as improving long term storage of eggs, women can serve eggs to their children as well as meat and eggs on local markets in exchange for a greater variety of food sources.
The vaccination of so-called “backyard chickens” in Africa against the highly contagious Newcastle disease has reduced mortalities by up to 80%. In Africa alone, it is estimated that $131m is the figure attached to the vaccination of 10% of the 1.5 billion birds across Africa in the period 2003 to 2010.
The congress further found that well designed, participative development programmes that enhance livestock (poultry) production can overcome poverty and enhance significant economic and social benefits among rural population.
Global demand for meat is expected to increase enormously within the next decade, with the planet’s population set to increase by 34% to in excess of 9 billion and 98% of the population situated in developing countries.
Poultry is consumed across virtually all nations, cultures and religions. Poultry veterinarians and animal scientists unite with human physicians and medical scientists in a bid to attain optimal health for the people, animals and environment of our planet.
This One Health approach has resulted in a shift in perception such that poultry veterinarians are no longer merely perceived as “chicken doctors” but as firmly ensconced at the interface of a multi-disciplinary team.
Research scientists in the poultry sector are humanitarians at the same time that they contribute towards the advancement of knowledge about poultry disease prevention measures, including zoonotic diseases, that is, diseases that can be passed to humans.
Delegates are helping ensure a sustainable, ‘fit for human consumption’ supply of poultry meat and eggs for the global population that adheres to strict monitoring and welfare guidelines for healthy poultry that is humanely slaughtered.
Rigid food safety measures must be in place to minimise risks of the likes of salmonella contamination.
