Avian Influenza : Native Chicken Farmers Stop Vaccination of Birds

SUKABUMI, KOMPAS – Hundreds of farmers, member of the Indonesian Native Chicken Farmer Association, had stopped avian influenza vaccination starting this January. “Avian influenza vaccination for native chickens is useless, so it’s better to stop,” said Chairman of the Indonesian Native Chicken Farmer Association (Himpuli), Ade M Zulkarnain, on Sunday (4/1) in Sukabumi. He suggested that it would be better if funds for purchasing vaccines were used instead for biosecurity and poultry restructure in sector four or backyard farms. Field study of H5N1 in native chickens was first done by a Netherland agency, Wageningen UR, through non-government organization, CIVAS, in Sukabumi from June 2006 to June 2008.

CIVAS Director Albertus Mulyono said that the study was conducted in semi-intensive native chicken farms and in free-range backyard farms. Results from both farms indicate that the immunity levels developed by native chickens were very low. “From that study, we could conclude that vaccination in native chickens could not significantly increase the level of antibody titers against avian influenza,” said Mulyono. Vaccination is said to be successful if it could increase the level of antibody titers against the virus. Based on results of this study, CIVAS recommends the government to review the vaccination program.

FBPI supports
Planning and Development Coordinator of the National Committee on Avian Influenza Control and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (Komnas FBPI), Muladno, supports Himpuli. “Academically, what the farmers have done should be followed by other people,” he said. Muladno said, that even though there were many protests in the beginning, “But by those who supported, the use of vaccines were pushed through. Now, with all of these vaccine brands, it has become like a business. In the end, we’ve spent a lot of money, but still haven’t managed to control avian influenza.
CIVAS is planning to conduct further research in semi-intensive farms. “The study we did was only for 70 days until the chickens were harvested. We now want to go beyond harvest time, approximately for one year,” said Mulyono. (AHA)
Source : Kompas [edited]