Vaccination for bird flu will begin at the beginning of next April and to date a company is authorized to import the doses to inoculate more than two million birds and another three are awaiting validation, as reported on Wednesday, April 1. February the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Bernardo Manzano.
The first outbreak of the disease was detected at the end of last November and according to the latest figures from the authorities, around 870,000 birds have been infected in the provinces of Tungurahua, Bolívar and Cotopaxi.
Government analyzes with commercial houses the importation of vaccines against avian influenza
Meanwhile, the only company so far authorized to import the vaccines is Macuna-Avimex, a Mexican-Ecuadorian business alliance. While the three awaiting authorization are: Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany), Zoetis (United States) and Rebexa (Puerto Rico), Manzano revealed, adding that the Technical Subcommittee of the National Poultry Commission recommended that the alliance of companies import 4 million doses.
Representatives of the National Corporation of Poultry Farmers (Conave), Union of Egg Producers (Uniproh), Association of Poultry Farmers of Cotaló (Asavico), Association of Veterinarians of Ecuador (Amevea-E), Universidad Central, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Undersecretary of Livestock Production of the MAG, as well as the Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control Agency (Agrocalidad).
Meanwhile, it was reported that the selection was made after the company presented the technical sheets of the vaccines that are available against avian influenza and that have already been implemented in other countries where the disease exists. For this purpose, Agrocalidad made an open call on January 23.
“This is good news to face this disease that affects poultry,” said Manzano, who confirmed that the vaccines will be financed by the private company, and the producers will have technical assistance and support from Agrocalidad and MAG.
The poultry industry is the main supplier of animal protein for the Ecuadorian population. It produces 263 million chickens that represent 495,000 tons of meat; produces 4,600 million table eggs; and in terms of consumption of animal protein, an Ecuadorian inhabitant consumes 27.31 kilos per capita per year of poultry meat and 212 eggs per capita per year.
The production of chicken meat and table eggs has economic, productive and social relevance for the country. It is part of a chain, which includes the production of hard corn, production of balanced feed and poultry production. It generates more than 300,000 jobs.
Meanwhile, the minister specified that the doses will serve to, in a first phase, vaccinate more than two million birds, with a complete scheme, on farms in Cotopaxi, Tungurahua and Pichincha, located in the focus and perifocus where the infection has been reported. presence of avian influenza.
The Subcommittee recommended the use of an inactivated recombinant vaccine, which has already been used in other countries such as Mexico, where the same strain of avian influenza detected and contained in Ecuador circulates. At the same time, the protocol for the implementation of vaccination in Ecuador is prepared. Vaccines must comply with the recommendations of the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO).
https://www.eluniverso.com/noticias/economia/gobierno-analiza-con-casas-comerciales-la-importacion-de-vacunas-contra-la-influenza-aviar-nota/
The executive director of Agrocalidad, Patricio Almeida, mentioned that the vaccine is a tool that is complemented by biosecurity measures; it is biologically safe so it does not constitute a risk to humans. It decreases the mortality rate from 80% to 40%, however, it does not prevent contagion to other farms.
Almeida revealed that from January 23 to 27, Agrocalidad received the technical sheets of five types of vaccines from the aforementioned companies.
“The vaccine is biologically safe, which means that it does not constitute any risk to humans, neither the application nor the consumption of the products,” Almeida clarified.
According to the OMSA, avian influenza is present in several countries in Asia, Africa, Europe and America. In the American continent, cases have been reported in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile and Bolivia. (YO)
Source: Eluniverso
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