EChook News/ Poultry CRC project attacks poultry diseases

From Poultry Hub

Poultry CRC project attacks poultry diseases

Monday, 18 September 2006

In an effort to develop an improved and expanded range of diagnostic tests for the Australian poultry industry, the Poultry CRC, along with one of its core partners, the University of Melbourne, has commenced a new project that will help to establish a core national diagnostic centre for poultry diseases.

The project aims to provide fast and cost-effective world-class diagnostic services for the industry, including overnight diagnosis and strain identification for the major poultry diseases in Australia, such as infectious bronchitis virus, infectious laryngotracheitis and chicken infectious anaemia virus.

Overseen by Poultry CRC Project Leader, Dr. Amir Noormohammadi, this commercially-focussed project will place the Australian poultry industry a step ahead of the world in diagnostic services and epidemiological analyses.

“Many great research findings sit on people’s shelves. Amir’s project is going to take these findings and transfer them to the industry,” says Mingan Choct, CEO of the Poultry CRC.

“A project that brings to industry the fruits of industry-funded research is well overdue,” says Ben Wells, an industry veterinarian.

“At the production level of the industry we have a big need for both rapid and reliable diagnostic tests, as well as laboratories with core excellence in poultry diagnostics.”

The project aims to bring previously developed state-of-the-art diagnostic technology to the Australian poultry industry for the direct assessment of an agent, together with strain differentiation, which has become a real issue as more and more live vaccines enter the market.

The research will also help to ensure the industry is prepared for future disease outbreaks and ultimately reduce the economic losses caused by major poultry diseases as well as the cost of control programs. Return