Vaccination practices and factors that contribute to ILT outbreaks in VIC/NSW

Department of Transport

  • Project code: PRJ-010151

  • Project stage: Closed

  • Project start date: Monday, August 15, 2016

  • Project completion date: Wednesday, August 1, 2018

  • National Priority: CME-Priority 3-Contributing to efficient and secure chicken production systems

Summary

This study will be a collaborative study involving the DEDJTR (Victoria), the DPI (NSW), The University of Melbourne, The University of Sydney and La Trobe University.
The study will have two main components that complement each other. The first will be an in-depth literature review of the current state of knowledge of ILT in commercial poultry. This will provide a solid background for the second epidemiological study component, composed of a series of epidemiological studies to identify flock management, including ILT vaccination program/s and geographic risk factors that might contribute to the incidence of ILT outbreaks and spread in broiler, pullet and layer flocks in Victoria and NSW.
The end point of the project would be to use information from epidemiological survey and studies to provide the poultry industry advice on critical points in future ILT control strategies in affected areas.

Program

Chicken Meat

Research Organisation

Department of Transport

Objective Summary

1. Review the literature to identify the current state of knowledge of ILT epidemiology in commercial poultry.
2. Use data held by the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR) Victoria and the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) NSW to quantify the incidence of ILT in commercial poultry flocks in the Mornington Peninsular of Victoria and the Greater Western Sydney area of New South Wales. Document the relative frequency of poultry farms that experienced a single outbreak of ILT and farms that have experienced repeated outbreaks of ILT.
3. Use details of the geographic location of ILT-positive and ILT-negative poultry flocks in the two study areas to rule in or rule out hypothesised geographic risk factors for disease.
4. Conduct a case-control study of broiler, pullet and layer flock managers to identify flock and/or farm level risk factors for ILT.
5. Develop extension strategies to provide flock managers with the necessary knowledge to reduce or eliminate the risk of ILT.