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Ep 36 | Slate Hall poultry vet Daniel Parker: Newcastle disease in Europe – what UK poultry producers need to know
120 Plays10 days ago
In this Poultry Network episode, Tom Woolman and Tom Willings speak to poultry vet Daniel Parker about the renewed threat from Newcastle disease and what UK producers should be doing now.
The discussion sets the issue in context: DEFRA has raised the risk level to medium, outbreaks in Europe have moved west, and nearly 2 million birds have reportedly been lost over the last 18 months.
Mr Parker explains that a new genotype is circulating in Europe, with cases highlighted in Poland, Germany, Spain and Belgium, making this a preparedness issue for the UK poultry sector rather than a reason to panic.
The episode breaks down why Newcastle disease matters commercially.
It is a notifiable disease, comparable in seriousness to avian influenza in terms of mortality, production loss, trade disruption, and the likelihood of culling and movement controls if an outbreak occurs.
Mr Parker outlines how it may present, including egg drops in layers and breeders, high mortality in broilers and adult stock, and broader production losses.
While wild birds may play a role, Mr Parker stresses that people, vehicles, equipment and shared crews are likely to be critical risk pathways.
He also warns that this virus is more robust than avian influenza, harder to disinfect and able to survive longer in the environment, raising the bar for on-farm cleansing and disinfection.
For producers, the most useful section is on vaccination strategy.
Vaccination against Newcastle is allowed, and existing vaccines can reduce mortality, even if they do not fully stop shedding.
Mr Parker’s advice is clear: longer-lived birds such as layers, breeders and turkeys should have robust, well-monitored vaccination programmes, with attention paid to storage, application and titre levels.
Broilers are a different commercial decision because vaccination can affect performance, but hatcheries and farms should be ready to move quickly if the situation changes.
This episode gives producers, hatcheries, vets and the wider supply chain a calm, credible assessment of risk and a clear action plan: tighten biosecurity, review vaccination programmes, and prepare now rather than react later.
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Transcript
Welcome & Introduction
00:00:15
Speaker
Hello and welcome back to the Poultry Network podcast. I'm Tom Woolman. And I'm Tom Willings. yeah We really ought to put a bit more thought, shouldn't we, into into these introductions?
00:00:27
Speaker
Well, can't can't disagree with that. They've got a bit stayed, haven't they? Although if you are on video, you'll notice that we've got a new edition. I've got a picture behind me with Poultry Network podcast logo, so we're getting serious.
00:00:40
Speaker
You have, yeah, yeah. And you've got some, is that some posh um sparkling water there as well? It's actually an empty bottle. I'm going to leave it there because otherwise when Daniel joins us without wanting to give the guest away, it'll look a bit odd.
00:00:54
Speaker
There'll be a continuity error, won't there? There would. There would. We'll get rejected by the internet. Yeah. Yes. Come on, let's tell people what we're up to today.
Newcastle Disease Resurgence
00:01:04
Speaker
So today we've got Daniel Parker on the podcast who is going to talk to us about Newcastle disease.
00:01:11
Speaker
which is making a little bit of a comeback, ah a bit of a worrying comeback in Europe at the moment. So we just want to get him on. Let's set the scene here because this is pretty serious, isn't it? In the last um couple of weeks, DEFRA have raised the the threat level or the risk level to medium um and Eastern Europe...
00:01:33
Speaker
unbeknownst to me, I'm going to admit, ah seem to have been struggling to quite a serious extent um over the course of the last 18 months. There's been nearly 2 million birds um slaughtered or or lost owing to the disease, but it's been making its way west, um hopping into Germany, hopping into Belgium and and Spain.
00:01:59
Speaker
and um and And now... you know, 20 years after there was a last outbreak, yeah we're starting to have more and more conversation here as to about how we prepare ourselves.
Impact on Livestock Diseases
00:02:10
Speaker
so um There's a resurgence in in a number of diseases, aren't there, that that we thought we'd seen in the back of a while ago. Stuff like foot and mouth disease as well. is It's having a little bit of a resurgence in in Europe at the moment.
00:02:22
Speaker
um So if you're a farmer and and you've got livestock, I suppose whatever your your livestock are, if you've got pigs, you've got African swine, fever to worry about. there's there's There's a whole range of things that are slowly creeping across Europe and and at any point potentially could could start rearing their heads over over in this sceptid aisle.
00:02:44
Speaker
Well, let's let's welcome Daniel. In fact, we we should explain who who Daniel Parker is. And most people listening to this will know. Who is Daniel? Who is Daniel? Oh, well, who Daniel Parker is. Is this some bloke you met down the pub?
00:02:56
Speaker
Come on, you do the introduction. and So I'll do the introduction. So so Daniel Parker, um Yes, Daniel Parker is Amerisist director of ah Slate Hall Veterinary Practice. um So he's ah he's i mean he was he was running it with a number of other vets for many years. um And now he steps back and he does he does quite a lot of consultancy and international travel and that sort of thing. But he is, yes, he's he's sort of internationally renowned as a poultry vet. And he's got a fantastic knowledge on on all things. He's got a very good understanding of how diseases are operating globally, globally what the impacts are.
00:03:36
Speaker
And so we just thought he would be the perfect person to speak to about the current situation with Newcastle disease. Let's get into it.
Expert Guest: Daniel Parker
00:03:50
Speaker
Daniel, welcome to the podcast. Thanks very much, Tom. Lovely to be you here. yeah good to have you Good to have you with us. We're talking about Newcastle disease. We've established that. I think the the key message here is this is not a panic stations and we don't want to scare the horses, but it would be great to talk about um you know the preparedness for for producers. um you know the DEFRA have changed their risk status up to up to medium. So, you know, we we are on a slightly heightened state of alert. But it would be great to explore with you just exactly what's changed.
00:04:31
Speaker
okay well, I think the real thing that's changed, Tom, is that um we have a ah new genotype of Newcastle disease, which is circulating. It's been circulating in the Far East for some time. and in in North Africa, but it seems to have flipped across into Europe. So there's been cases in Poland, um Germany, ah interestingly in Spain as well, which, you know, previously hadn't really seen much in the way of Newcastle disease. And I think you're absolutely right. I think producers need to just be aware it's there and they need to be starting to prepare, no panics.
Understanding Newcastle Disease
00:05:11
Speaker
but it's just being aware that it's there and and and and we just need to get a bit more hypervigilance really. So if we could maybe start at the beginning with this disease then Daniel, because I think the last case in the UK was 2006, which was um the year before I started at Harper Adams. So I've i've never known Newcastle disease in in the country really.
00:05:34
Speaker
What is the disease? What are the symptoms? What are the impacts? um you know what's What's the history of the disease? Okay, well, the first thing to say about Newcastle disease, it's a notifiable disease. Okay, so it's considered a sort of class A disease.
00:05:51
Speaker
And for for that reason, obviously, um there is a ah there there is an eradication policy on it management policy um from from a governmental point of view. How does it present itself? um It depends a little bit on the the type of birds. Obviously um with layers, you'll see um egg production drops, same with breeders. The slightly worrying about a thing about this particular strain is that um we're seeing some very high mortalities mortalities as well, um both in broilers and also in in in in some adult stock as well. So it's a it's it's a
00:06:33
Speaker
A disease in some respects not dissimilar from avian influenza um and and and that's why it's it's notifiable um but it causes high um high mortality and and and and production losses in in poultry. Okay so we we need to be taking it seriously it wouldn't be notifiable if it wasn't serious it's not just another respiratory um disease but how is it actually moving because we've We've gone from you know multiple outbreaks in in Poland through 2025 and the first part of of this year.
00:07:10
Speaker
and ah A site in, I think it's Brandenburg, just over the border. And then it's leapt sort of 500 kilometres further west and now into into Belgium, sort of heading in our direction. How is it moving? What's that in practice? How is it getting from A to B?
Spreading Mechanisms
00:07:28
Speaker
It's a good question, Tom. um And I think not all the epidemiological um investigations have ah you know been concluded, but like influenza, it can be carried by wild birds. it has There's been surveys undertaken ah in Egypt where it's been circulating for a while and it's been identified in in wild birds there. But I think probably um these cases in um ah in in in Europe and the way it's moving,
00:07:57
Speaker
probably we need to think very seriously about movement of people, vehicles, etc. The normal sort of biosecurity routes which um which ah these diseases can be be carried through.
00:08:11
Speaker
The slight difference with this virus as compared to avian influenza is that It is more resistant and so um resistant to um to disinfection and it's just a more robust virus. And so therefore, one has to be more um um more efficient with your cleansing and disinfection and it can survive for longer periods in the environment. So these are things that need to be considered. and obviously, from the point of view of um fomites and and and people, one needs to be mindful of how it's moving.
00:08:43
Speaker
The concern in, or some of the thoughts in terms of poland and Poland and Germany is the potential of sharing of catching crews, et cetera, not good having good biosecurity between between movements. So those are the sort of the areas that we need to think seriously about.
Trade Implications
00:09:02
Speaker
And everyone in this country is now well up to speed with the impacts of Avon influenza, both from an on-farm point of view in terms of the clinical impact on on on the birds on the farm, but also in terms of the impact on trade and having an outbreak and what that does in terms of how we can move products around and and export things.
00:09:26
Speaker
Is it a similar case with Newcastle disease? Does that start to impact how we trade with other countries? For sure. um Again, what will happen if an outbreak occurs is there will be um protection zones and surveillance zones put in place. And obviously, the movement of product and and and and and livestock um from those zones will be will have to be managed. So, yes, it's it's considered in the same way as those diseases. And you know one of the other slightly concerning things is is the change within new animal health laws in Europe. um A couple of years ago, when a new animal health law was introduced, um Newcastle disease is included in those Class A diseases which that animal health law is designed to protect against.
00:10:17
Speaker
So in in terms of the control of the disease, this really is, you know, we have to we have to prevent it. This is not a, there's no treatment for it, for example, like AI, if a farm contracts the disease, it's total cull and and all of the restrictions that we're used to, so used to, as Tom says, with with HPAI.
00:10:38
Speaker
Absolutely. the The real positive thing, though, as far as Newcastle disease is concerned, is that vaccination is allowed,
Vaccination Effectiveness
00:10:45
Speaker
okay? And that's a really subtle difference. um So, um you know, vaccines are available, albeit they are, um they are derived from the classical strains of Newcastle disease, the um the genotype 1s and 2s. And so there is some subtle differences between um ah between genotype 1 and 2, the classical strains, and this new genotype, genotype 7, which is currently um currently the circulating in Europe.
00:11:17
Speaker
it Is it a potential outcome then that the we might look at changing the vaccines that we're using or updating the the types of vaccines that we've got available to match this new genotype?
00:11:31
Speaker
um I think that's that's ah that's a possibility. I know that um pharma companies are working on um on on stranges strains that are designed to to to to be more effective against genotype 7. I think it's important to note that with the current classical strain vaccines, the Lesotas, the clone 30 types of vaccines, they do provide protection against this strain. It's just that it's not complete. So actually vaccination is likely to um um ah eliminate high mortality. What it may not do is completely stop shedding. And that that obviously is is a slight slight concern because If ah birds are silent shedders, then there's a potential to move it, you know, move it around even more, you know, again, and if if if good biosecurity is not in place. So we need to be mindful of that.
00:12:25
Speaker
But I think um obviously the other aspect of this is that if you vaccinate, you know, you have to generally have a higher dose of ah of a virus to come into the shed to actually establish an infection. So again, it's I think this is strategy that certainly for longer live birds, we want to make sure that birds are well vaccinated against Newcastle, the classic strains. with the current vaccines. And that's one thing I'd urge producers to be looking at very carefully now going forward is for the longer lived birds, not so applicable for broilers, okay, but for for the longer lived birds, the like commercial layers and the breeders is to make sure that they are well vaccinated, okay, they have good titers against against Newcastle disease and that will that will improve the protection that these birds are gonna have.
00:13:14
Speaker
Daniel, difficult question perhaps, but from ah from your perspective, looking at the the rearing industry in this country, are we in a good place in terms of, um you know, how skilled we are, how competent we are at delivering those vaccines? I think, i think you look, I think we've we've we've come a long way, Tom, since I first started the industry. I mean, I think you know, in those days it was a little bit of, you know throw the vaccines in and just let them get on with it, so to so to speak. I think i think people are much more effective at giving vaccines now. However, that is one thing that, again, needs to be reviewed and make sure that it that vaccines are being given properly, that they're being stored properly so that they are they are of maximum effectiveness so that when they're given to the birds, the birds got the maximum opportunity to respond.
00:14:02
Speaker
Also, that birds are healthy when they're vaccinated again, so they have the ability to be able to respond adequately to their vaccine um and making sure that the vaccination programs are are robust, um ah you know, with a breeders and layers, you know, good priming and effective, you know, thorough um inactivated vaccination um prior to prior to to onset of lay. And I think one of the things perhaps where maybe we've become a little bit slack on, all right, is making sure that birds are regularly monitored to ensure those titers are maintained.
00:14:43
Speaker
I mean, the thing to remember, of course, with any vaccine is that the birds initially respond and will respond with reasonable titers. But if they're not exposed to if they're not exposed to ah to a wild virus, then those titers are likely to wane. And it may be that we will need to think
Vaccination Practices in Broilers
00:15:00
Speaker
about potential boosting in lay. But these are early days. I wouldn't be going to this first stage. I think the most important thing is to make sure that birds are well vaccinated prior to the onset of lay.
00:15:11
Speaker
Daniel, we're we're talking here about layers and parent stock. What about the rest of the you know the poultry industry, the meat birds particularly? How does vaccination work currently in in all sectors? So you know broilers, particularly turkeys, ducks, ah are they vaccinating or that an Achilles heel potentially? Okay, so well with broilers, look one of the things you have to remember with Newcastle to disease a case is that um if you vaccinate for Newcastle disease,
00:15:41
Speaker
ah particularly with the Lesota strains, it will have a slight effect on the bird. So your performance is not going to be quite as good. Now, this, you know, this, you know obviously this becomes comes back to sort of a payback situation. OK, if you're in a high disease, high disease challenge situation, you need to vaccinate. If you're in a low disease challenge situation, then you're not going to vaccinate because it can have an impact on your performance. So, you know, and that's where we kind of are at the moment with broilers. We haven't vaccinated for for years. And You know, sort like I can remember, you know, um probably back in the early 2000s, certain companies in certain parts of the country used to vaccinate the broilers for Newcastle. OK, because there was a historically there being a higher challenge in that area.
00:16:22
Speaker
Now across across um across the UK, no one vaccinates broilers against Newcastle. However, if you look across the across the ah um the channel, all right ah it's obligatory to vaccinate broilers in in the Netherlands, for example. okay ah Every broiler has to be vaccinated. So there's just a slightly different approach in different countries. Now, currently, I think we're not we're not in a position where we need to be vaccinating broilers, but we need to be getting prepared for that um in case there's an outbreak and then we will need to get on and and start looking potentially vaccinating, you know ring vaccinating or something along those lines to try and manage it and stop it spreading um spreading across the country.
00:17:07
Speaker
And why have we got this? Sorry, sorry. And sorry, you asked another question, Tom. I'm a chibid. As far as turkeys concerned, turkeys, yeah, we do um we do vaccinate turkeys in rear for um for Newcastle. And again, it's making sure that those programs are robust. um ah Ducks, no, it's not something historically we vaccinated for.
00:17:28
Speaker
Why have we got this difference in terms of policy between avian influenza and Newcastle? Because a lot of the debate around why we're not vaccinating for AI or haven't done up to this point is that is that as soon as you start vaccinating for a disease, then essentially you're you're saying that it's endemic or at risk of being endemic in in the country, which for AI seemed to be a no-no as far as trade goes. But you're quite right. People seem to be picking and choosing vaccines.
00:17:54
Speaker
whether they vaccinate for Newcastle or not um and it hasn't really had any impact on trade is it they're treated quite differently aren't they yeah they are and I think I think it's probably because with um avian influenza I mean there are so many different strains of avian influenza okay and I think and I think the Also, historically, with avian influenza, you've tended to get more genetic variation. So the level of protection that's afforded by vaccines is less robust. Whereas historically with Newcastle disease, that's not been the case.
00:18:32
Speaker
Clearly, we've had some now we've had some genetic drift with this new um genotype that's appeared. um But there is still a level of protection with the with the current vaccines. Having said that, OK, I mean, some countries will not accept exports if you vaccinate against Newcastle.
00:18:49
Speaker
OK, so again, it's it's it's just the way international trade has been has been been set up. Let's face it. I mean, as far as influenza is concerned, you know, ah the reason why people won't accept them vaccinated is because a blocker to trade. You know, it's as simple as that. its protection it it takes it's It's an excuse, isn't it, to um to to shut the doors?
00:19:08
Speaker
it it is It is. But having said that, okay, um historically, um I think the quality of the vaccines um um with, you know particularly, obviously, with the inactivated vaccines was maybe the cover wasn't so robust. Okay, I think with the new vaccines that have been developed, those are um they those those are better at giving um you know more robust protection.
00:19:36
Speaker
And that's why we need to rethink about the whole situation ah in terms of in terms of avian influenza vaccination, in my view.
00:19:44
Speaker
and Daniel, just go on. what What do you mean by that exactly? Well, I think, i think um you know, I think that, know, Tom's already mentioned the main reason why we don't vaccinate is because there's a blocker on trade. What we need to do is unblock that trade block that's happening because you vaccinate. As long as you've got good surveillance in there, you can demonstrate that, you know, that that the product that you are producing or exporting is free of avian influenza, then why aren't we being allowed to actually get on and do the job?
00:20:16
Speaker
Not so, you know, it's not easy because you've got to have good surveillance in there. And obviously, you know, the the the Influenza Task Force looked at that and looked at the cost benefit with current current surveillance measures. You know, it's not cost effective to apply it across all um all avian species. But certainly for certain targeted species, we should be considering, in my view, we should be considering vaccination.
Importance of Biosecurity
00:20:41
Speaker
So for people that are going around farms at the moment or people that are working on farms, what would be the key messages for them at the moment with regard to Newcastle disease? What should they be thinking? and watch The key messages are for me is one is biosecurity. Okay. Look,
00:21:00
Speaker
we know that the vast majority of the diseases are entered farms through poor biosecurity. Okay. And I know that we keep banging on about it and people get a little bit tired of the whole biosecurity story, but you know, the bottom line is you need to stop it at the farm gate. You can't let it get into the, you can't let it get onto the farm. The second, second thing that people need to consider about consider, and that's, and so when we're considering biosecurity, you know, it is, you know, it is people in equipment. Okay. And managing that,
00:21:30
Speaker
um And then the second thing is with the longer-lived birds, you know, let's make sure that we have good sound um ah vaccination programs.
00:21:42
Speaker
um Make sure that our vaccine application is right, vaccination vaccine storage is right, and then monitoring to make sure we've got good titers to protect against it. that's the going to be those Those two strategies are going to be the most important in terms of preventing the disease disease coming across and and and and affecting a farm.
00:22:05
Speaker
Daniel, ask your opinion on this. do Do you think, you know, let's roll the clock forward six months, 12 months. Do you think that the the meat industry currently choosing not to vaccinate will adopt ah ah ah a widespread vaccine protocol?
00:22:22
Speaker
um I personally think that um providing that we can keep the virus out of the country, I wouldn't be encouraging um broiler producers to vaccinate.
00:22:37
Speaker
I mean, ah Tom, I've seen too many situations where um vaccine has been used and it's been poorly applied into broilers actually caused, it's almost caused as many problems as ah ah as a wild strain. So I think it it's important that, um that ah well well, my advice would be at this stage is be prepared. right. um I think broiler farms um stroke hatcheries need to be prepared. They need to ensure that they've got the processes to apply vaccine if required. so that they can step into it. I mean, one of the things, for example, is making sure, of course, you know, in the um in the hatcheries is that the, um you know, the vaccination equipment is is is is is checked to make sure it's going to deliver the right size droplet, et cetera. So, again, we can we we can be we can be prepared prepared at hatchery level if we need to step into it. Because, of course, from a mass vaccination perspective, it's better to make sure the birds are well primed at day old and then potentially they will need to have a booster on farm. um
00:23:43
Speaker
But I wouldn't be looking to it because it will have an impact on performance. All right. There's no question about it. It will take a little bit of performance away and we all we all need as much performance as we can get out of the birds.
00:23:57
Speaker
That's really is it quite different in terms. Well, I say quite different. It is different than in terms of application in a hatchery compared to stuff like IB, is it? No, it's not dissimilar. I mean, the you know, the key thing, the key thing is making sure you get the droplet size right um if you're applying it by spray. um Of course, you know, there are also now um ah vaccines that can be given in over. All right. In terms of the, you know, and HVT vector type vaccines, those are available. Okay. So, I mean, that's ah's ah that's a possibility to step ah step to step into that type of vaccination as well, albeit not all hatcheries obviously are set up for Inovo vaccinations.
Consultancy Insights & Global Concerns
00:24:41
Speaker
that's a good note to end on there, Daniel. Thank you very much for bringing us up to date with the current situation and, and what people need to know and what they need to be ready for going forward. Um, you, you do a lot of, you think Tom, Tom, key thing. All right, please, please. And ah ah know I know keep banging on about it. Biosecurity. Okay. Biosecurity basket basket. And I know we keep on going on about it and it is something you've got to live and live and live, but that,
00:25:08
Speaker
couple with making sure that older birds currently have got good robust vaccination programs that are monitored.
00:25:15
Speaker
I was going to say you do a lot of consulting don't you now? Have you have you got any any travels planned coming up? Any exciting trips? um um ah Yeah, I'm supposed to be heading off to Brazil ah later on this week to um ah to to to only to give a presentation. But um ah after that, um nothing nothing immediately on the on the horizon. And i' unfortunately, I think at the moment, Tom, with what's going on in the Middle East, I'm not sure how much um how much travel where any of us are going to be able to do, to be quite honest. you You're definitely heading in the right direction, aren't you? going Going that way and not the other. So safe travels. Thank you so much for joining us.
00:25:53
Speaker
Okay, you're welcome. All the best. Bye-bye. Cheers.
00:26:08
Speaker
Well, Tom, that was, as I expected, an absolutely comprehensive um display of of knowledge from from Daniel Parker.
00:26:18
Speaker
um I wrote down, keep calm, carry on. You know, he is, Daniel, very, very measured, very, very sensible, very, very calm. And um yeah, biosecurity, biosecurity, biosecurity is the
Final Thoughts on Preparedness
00:26:35
Speaker
is the message. i think I think for me, the little bit on top of that um perhaps very repetitive biosecurity message is just the...
00:26:43
Speaker
the threat is ever so slightly broader than, you know, our focus on wildfowl, water birds, water courses for AI being such ah um an important um vector and and reading lots of the the stuff in in the press and and DEFRA's notification. There's it's slightly more kind of nuanced um pathways into AI.
00:27:11
Speaker
in into poultry sheds. Firstly, all species could be ah be a risk. So you're not just worrying about migratory birds. um And then secondly, people walking into the shed.
00:27:24
Speaker
Yeah. Whether it's catching crews or it's visitors or it's the farmer themselves, people, equipment, um that's that's the the real real concern. But of course, I suppose the the the good news is we start with a a degree of protection, not complete protection, as Daniel was explaining, if the the strains... different um then um you know it's uh it's not going to provide complete protection but if the vaccines are done properly then then there is a level of protection and of course we can say that with ai at the moment so no and no need to pay no but i i do find it fascinating how
00:28:04
Speaker
we're we're treating these different diseases um and yeah and how we can do certain things with certain diseases and certain vaccines and and other things it seems to be a complete no-no. But and we have got the vaccine, haven't we? Albeit...
00:28:18
Speaker
I think um if if everyone's ah turned around tomorrow and said we want to vaccinate for Newcastle disease, then the the vaccine wouldn't be there, would it? But if the people that have got birds which are at the highest risk, if if they really focus on their biosecurity and and if they're not vaccinating already, they they start, then that puts us in the right place, hopefully, to...
00:28:39
Speaker
keep the disease at bay in the UK. mean, I certainly know people with free range and organic broilers that are starting to vaccinate for for Newcastle that weren't historically. So i think that's ah I think that's a really encouraging sign of people being proactive.
00:28:55
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. That's what's needed, isn't it? Just a ah degree of preparedness. Look lively, something else to worry about. Let's batten down the hatches.
00:29:05
Speaker
Until next week then, Tom. Yeah, good to talk to you. See you then. Cheerio.