Veterinary minds from across Scandinavia convened on Oct. 7 to share ideas on the latest knowledge, clinical experiences and best practices for continually improving bird health and welfare. The online 2021 Cross-Service Veterinary meeting was attended by close to 25 Veterinarians of customers in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and eight Aviagen representatives.

The meeting started with a moment of silence to honor the late Dan Pearson, Aviagen’s respected Veterinary Health Director for Europe from 2012 until his passing in July.

Managing Director of Aviagen-SweChick Thomas Carlson updated the group on the COVID situation, the effect of Avian Influenza (AI) and other challenges in the Scandinavian markets. He also shared the latest on the trials for new-generation poultry lighting, bird feed and eating preferences, and heat exchangers for tackling ammonia build-up. Other discussions centered on bird health: Aviagen UK Commercial and Technical Service Manager Niamh Molloy addressed ways to strengthen leg health; Kieron Daniels, Aviagen UK Technical Service Manager, talked about the prevention of Bacterial Chondronecrosis and Osteomyelitis; and Christian Philipp from Vaxxinova and Magnus Jeremiasson from MSD presented an update on E Coli vaccines. Judith Reid, Aviagen UK Company Veterinarian, representing Colin Adams, Veterinary Health Director for Aviagen Europe, gave an update on the AI situation and general clinical picture in Europe and emphasized Aviagen’s commitment to collaborate with customers to promote bird health.

”Aviagen SweChick organizes the Cross-Service Veterinarian Meeting each year as a forum for veterinarians of our Scandinavian customers to report on the health situation in their countries and exchange innovative ideas,” commented Samson Sotona, Veterinarian, Aviagen SweChick. “This year’s meeting was especially successful, as we discussed some specific and some common challenges, and together brainstormed on creative solutions.”