To support biosecurity and keep Chilean poultry farming free from exotic diseases, ChileCarne is running a preventive vaccination campaign against Newcastle disease (ND) in backyard flocks in the northern regions of Arica y Parinacota and Tarapacá.
This month-long preventive campaign responds to the health risk posed by the introduction of Newcastle disease from Bolivia, where the virus is still actively circulating. Chile’s northern neighbor has not been declared free of the disease by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) since the outbreak began in 2021.
Carolina Larraín, head of Poultry Health at ChileCarne, who is participating in the initiative, explains that “the sector is leading this campaign, intending to reduce the risk of the disease being introduced. Risk has increased this year because of the illegal entry of eggs from Bolivia.” As a result, it was decided to vaccinate backyard poultry—birds raised on family farms with fewer than 1,000 birds, generally for private consumption—located within a three-kilometer radius of roads used for formal and informal travel from Bolivia. These areas, located in the regions of Arica y Parinacota and Tarapacá, are critical points for prevention.
“Our strategy, as a preventive measure, is to vaccinate backyard birds in these areas against the disease,” adds Larraín. An estimated 7,000 hens will be vaccinated to minimize the risk of the virus entering the country.
Newcastle disease is a highly contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild birds, causing respiratory, digestive, and nervous symptoms, with serious consequences for poultry farms. Although Chile remains free of this disease, prevention is crucial to stop its entry and safeguard the sector’s competitiveness.
ChileCarne actively participates in this initiative as part of its commitment to biosecurity, promoting actions that reinforce the prevention and protection of the country’s health status. These measures include border control, health outreach, and, in this case, preventive vaccination in high-risk areas. A team of six people carries out the fieldwork under the coordination of SAG. It is part of the industry’s strategy to forestall health threats that could threaten domestic poultry production and access to key international markets.
