Bird-flu watch | Vaccination update from Astral

Between mid-July and the first week of August last year, Astral Foods administered an HPAI vaccine and booster to about 180 000 broiler breeders.

By Charmain Lines

In line with Department of Agriculture protocols, the company continues strict monitoring – including weekly testing of organ samples from deceased birds and monthly swab testing of live birds.

Reflecting on the process, Obed Lukhele, Astral’s technical executive of agriculture, notes that three H5 avian influenza vaccines are currently registered in South Africa. Two are administered in hatcheries, while a third can be applied on-farm.

Because the permit was issued during winter, Astral vaccinated breeders already in lay – an uncommon approach for injectable vaccines. This required extensive coordination, including large vaccination teams and close supervision by veterinarians and senior farm managers to ensure proper handling, cold-chain management and bird welfare.

Post-vaccination management has also proven complex. Dedicated composting systems for mortalities, reject eggs and manure require careful oversight, while strict surveillance protocols and restrictions on selling vaccinated birds at the end of production add to cost pressures.

Looking ahead, Astral plans to expand vaccination across high-risk areas, applying vaccines strategically within breeder farms to reduce viral shedding and limit spread to neighbouring producers.

“In all this, biosecurity remains our cornerstone for disease control and prevention,” Lukhele emphasises.

The company also hopes that its data and operational insights will help refine South Africa’s November 2023 HPAI Vaccination Strategy, enabling broader and more effective vaccine use. Lukhele further highlights the need to register H7 and H9 vaccines locally and strengthen laboratory capacity for testing emerging strains.

Due to the timing of the permit, birds had already
started laying when they were vaccinated instead of
getting the vaccine straight after hatching. This later
process required more hands on deck than normal. Photo: April/May 2026 Poultry Bulletin — Due to the timing of the permit, birds had already started laying when they were vaccinated instead of getting the vaccine straight after hatching. This later process required more hands on deck than normal. Photo: *Poultry Bulletin* April/May 2026

UK Starts Vaccine Trials

In the United Kingdom, HPAI vaccine trials began in March 2026, focusing on turkeys and running for six months.

Led by Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), the trials aim to assess vaccine effectiveness under field conditions, surveillance requirements for export compliance, and practical application strategies.

Turkeys were selected due to their high susceptibility to HPAI, severe symptoms and high mortality rates. In the first 10 weeks of 2026, Defra reported 15 outbreaks in British poultry flocks.

Did You Know?

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5N1) first emerged in China in the mid-1990s. Global attention intensified in 2006 when infected whooper swans were discovered in Germany, marking the virus’s spread into Europe and subsequent outbreaks in wild birds and poultry.

Compensation for French Farmers

Annie Genevard has announced a financial support scheme for poultry farmers affected by HPAI during 2025/26.

By the end of February, France recorded 140 cases in wild birds, 118 outbreaks in commercial poultry and 28 in backyard flocks. The assistance will support farmers impacted by movement restrictions within designated protection and surveillance zones, regardless of whether their flocks were infected.

Across Europe, 164 outbreaks in commercial poultry were recorded in 14 countries in the first nine weeks of 2026, with H5N1 identified as the sole serotype. Among wild birds, 1 480 cases were reported across 29 countries, with Germany recording the highest number.

From Cattle to Humans?

Recent research published by The Pirbright Institute highlights growing concern about H5N1 adaptation in mammals.

According to Thomas Peacock, while human infections linked to dairy cattle outbreaks in the United States have so far been mild, the virus is showing increased ability to replicate in human cells and infect multiple species.

Although human-to-human transmission remains limited, ongoing viral evolution raises concern about future risks. Researchers stress the urgent need for broadly protective H5 vaccines for both animals and humans.