Livestock

Aviagen strengthens Malaysia’s poultry industry. (Image credit: Avinews Asia)

Aviagen has reaffirmed its commitment to the Malaysian poultry sector by sponsoring the 2026 reprint of the ‘Guidebook on the Malaysian Poultry Industry – The Way Forward’.

The publication is widely recognised as an important reference tool for policymakers, researchers, and industry participants, helping to guide structured and coordinated development across the national poultry value chain.

The updated guidebook was officially launched during a seminar held in Kuala Lumpur on January 22, 2026. The event was organised by the Malaysian Productivity Corporation and the Agro Food Productivity Nexus, working in collaboration with the Federation of Livestock Farmers’ Associations of Malaysia. The seminar, titled ‘Transforming the Poultry Industry Through Productivity, Technology, and Talent’, attracted more than 100 participants from across the poultry sector, including integrators, farmers, feed manufacturers, suppliers, and government officials.

As part of the programme, Aviagen demonstrated its commitment to openness and knowledge sharing through a virtual presentation titled ‘Poultry Breeding for Better Performance and Disease Prevention’. The session was delivered by Dominic Elfick, Marketing Manager for Aviagen Asia Pacific. During the presentation, Aviagen outlined its balanced breeding philosophy, highlighting the importance of sustainable traits, bird welfare, and consistent long term performance in building resilient poultry production systems.

Aviagen’s role in advancing industry best practices was further recognised during the event when the company was cited by the Department of Veterinary Services as a leading example of compartmentalisation. The department encouraged broader adoption of this approach, which is based on shared management standards and strong biosecurity practices across groups of production units. Compartmentalisation plays a key role in allowing international trade to continue during the event of a notifiable disease outbreak.

Keat Fu, Senior Technical Services Veterinarian for Aviagen Asia, attended the seminar alongside other members of the Aviagen team. He noted that the event provided valuable opportunities to engage directly with industry stakeholders. Feedback from attendees reflected strong support for Aviagen’s focus on sustainable performance, welfare centred breeding strategies, and close collaboration with the wider poultry industry in Malaysia.

Ceva marks a century of progress against newcastle disease.

Ceva Animal Health is preparing to mark an important milestone as it commemorates 100 years since Newcastle disease was first identified on the island of Java.

This moment represents the starting point of a century long scientific effort to understand, manage, and control one of the most significant poultry diseases worldwide.

For Ceva, the fight against Newcastle disease is more than a scientific challenge. The company views it as a shared responsibility passed down through generations, with researchers, veterinarians, and poultry professionals all playing a role as guardians in this ongoing battle. Each contribution, past and present, has helped shape the collective knowledge and progress made over the last hundred years.

To honour this legacy, Ceva will host a special event titled ‘100 Years with Newcastle Disease’. The meeting will take place from February 10 to 12, 2026, in Bogor, Indonesia, close to where the disease was first described. The location has been chosen to reflect both the historical significance of Java and the continued global relevance of Newcastle disease today.

According to a joint statement from Mustafa Seçkin Sandikli, Global Poultry Director, and Christophe Cazaban, Poultry Scientific Director, the event will bring together a carefully selected group of leading Newcastle disease researchers alongside senior poultry health and laboratory experts from around the world. The aim is to create an open forum for sharing knowledge, exchanging experiences, and discussing future directions in disease prevention and control.

“Returning to Java, where the story began, we aim to create a meaningful space to reflect on the past, understand today and connect our efforts for the decades ahead,” they said.

The event is expected to highlight both historical achievements and future opportunities in the global fight against Newcastle disease.

Taichung egg farmer's legal troubles.

A poultry farmer in Taichung has been detained and held without contact after prosecutors uncovered alleged illegal practices linked to the disposal of dead chickens following an avian influenza outbreak.

The case has drawn widespread attention, highlighting concerns around biosecurity, food safety and environmental protection in Taiwan’s agricultural sector.

The Taichung District Court approved the detention of the farmer, surnamed Yun, who operates Fengkang Egg Ranch in the Fongyuan District. The court ruled that there were sufficient legal grounds and a clear necessity to keep him in custody while investigations continue. Authorities believe Yun attempted to hide the outbreak rather than follow mandatory disease control and waste disposal procedures.

According to investigators, chickens at the farm began showing signs of avian influenza, with a sharp rise in deaths soon after. Instead of reporting the situation to authorities, Yun allegedly buried some of the dead poultry at his own residence. Others were reportedly transported to neighbouring Miaoli County, where they were dumped and buried on privately owned land.

That land belongs to another suspect, surnamed Yen. Prosecutors say Yen allowed hazardous waste to be buried on his property without official approval. He was later released on US$200,000 bail and placed under travel and residence restrictions.

Law enforcement officials carried out searches at the egg farm and Yun’s home, questioning Yun, two farm employees and Yen. After further interrogation, prosecutors stated that Yun is suspected of violating the Waste Disposal Act by illegally dumping hazardous business waste, failing to handle waste correctly as a business operator and committing fraud. Yen faces allegations of unlawfully permitting hazardous waste disposal on his land.

Local government officials have sought to reassure the public that the avian influenza outbreak has been successfully contained. All chickens at the affected farm were culled, while large volumes of eggs, animal feed and bedding materials were destroyed as a precaution. Authorities confirmed there is no evidence the disease spread to other farms.

The incident has reignited public debate around farm regulation, disease prevention and the responsibility of agricultural operators to protect public health and the environment.

SecureDX and Panacea Korea enhance animal health. (Image credit: EIN PRESSWIRE)

SecureDX, a US-based animal health diagnostics innovator, has announced a strategic partnership with Panacea Korea, a leading South Korean manufacturer of diagnostic testing solutions, to expand access to verified, affordable animal disease testing across North America.

The collaboration brings together advanced diagnostic manufacturing with AI-driven digital reporting to modernise how animal health data is captured, managed, and trusted.

Under the supply and exclusivity agreement, SecureDX will act as Panacea Korea’s exclusive importer and commercialisation partner in North America. The partnership introduces a new portfolio of validated animal disease testing kits and select diagnostic equipment, all integrated with SecureDX’s proprietary SecureOS AI-powered digital reporting and chain-of-custody platform.

The combined offering supports the detection of high-impact infectious diseases, including avian influenza, bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) and other critical pathogens affecting cattle, swine, poultry, sheep, goats, and exotic or zoo animals. All tests are developed under strict validation and quality management protocols to ensure consistent accuracy across species and testing environments.

A core differentiator of the partnership is the seamless integration of diagnostics with SecureOS. The platform leverages mobile technology and AI-enabled workflow standardisation to streamline sample registration, track chain-of-custody, monitor testing status, and deliver secure, traceable results. This approach reduces manual errors, improves data integrity, and enables standardised reporting for veterinarians, producers, laboratories, and animal health professionals.

Affordability without sacrificing quality is central to the collaboration. Through efficient manufacturing, optimised logistics, and digital workflow automation, SecureDX aims to deliver premium-quality diagnostics at a more accessible price point, expanding reliable testing options for farms, veterinary practices, zoos, laboratories, and animal export operations.

“Accuracy, quality control, and affordability are the foundation of everything we do,” said Justin Jones, CEO of SecureDX. “By combining Panacea Korea’s diagnostic technology with our SecureOSplatform, we are simplifying how testing is performed, reported, and trusted, while keeping costs accessible for real-world animal health applications.”

The partnership will also include PCR instruments and select point-of-care diagnostic platforms, all designed to integrate seamlessly with SecureOS and supported by laboratory validation standards.

“Working with SecureDX allows us to pair high-quality diagnostics with intelligent digital reporting,” said Clara Shin, CEO of Panacea Korea. “Together, we are raising the standard for accurate, affordable, and scalable animal health testing.”

The integrated diagnostic solutions are scheduled to launch in Q1 2026, with tailored offerings for laboratories, commercial farms, veterinary clinics, zoological institutions, and export programmes.