Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    • February 2025
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • March 2024
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    • October 2023
    • Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    • September 2023
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
  • FREE Email Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
Twitter LinkedIn
Podcast
Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    1. June 2025
    2. 2025 Innovation supplement
    3. May 2025
    4. April 2025
    5. March 2025
    6. 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    7. February 2025
    8. January 2025
    9. December 2024
    10. November 2024
    11. October 2024
    12. September 2024
    13. 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    14. August 2024
    15. 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    16. July 2024
    17. 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    18. June 2024
    19. 2024 Innovation supplement
    20. Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    21. May 2024
    22. April 2024
    23. March 2024
    24. February 2024
    25. January 2024
    26. December 2023
    27. November 2023
    28. Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    29. October 2023
    30. Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    31. September 2023
    Featured

    Poultry Business – June 2025 issue

    By Chloe RyanJune 9, 2025
    Recent

    Poultry Business – June 2025 issue

    June 9, 2025

    Poultry Business – 2025 Innovation supplement

    June 9, 2025

    Poultry Business – May 2025 issue

    May 15, 2025
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
Poultry News
Health & Welfare

Reseachers identify chickens which are “almost resistant” to bird flu

Colin LeyBy Colin LeyJuly 19, 20162 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

The genes of some chickens makes them almost resistant to bird flu according to new research results published by The Pirbright Institute in Surrey.

“Until now, scientists around the world have not paid enough attention to the role the genetics of birds play in the transmission of flu, focusing instead on how the virus itself evolves and infects,” said Pirbright, adding that the new results show that genetics play a key part in whether the birds are susceptible or resistant to the potentially deadly virus.

“It is important to understand how different genetic lines of birds react to influenza viruses, so that we can begin to understand the spread of the disease,” said research leader, Dr Colin Butter, Reader in Bioveterinary Science at the University of Lincoln, who researched influenza viruses while at Pirbright.

“Our results are valuable in emphasising the important role a ‘host’ plays in the spread of avian flu, and also in highlighting a number of factors relating to the chain of infection and control mechanisms which are affected by the route of infection.”

The research involved an examination of two genetically distinct lines of chickens to determine whether genetics played a part in the susceptibility or resistance to infection. This showed that birds that carried the virus, but were genetically resistant to the disease, only shed the virus through their respiratory tract and for a limited period of time. In contrast, birds which were susceptible to the disease, also shed virus in faeces and over a longer time.

The research team also discovered that this was the only relevant means of spreading the virus and that resistant birds were therefore unable to initiate or sustain the chain of transmission.

Further research results suggest that this could be due to a genetic restriction within the animal which stops the virus spreading when inside the body.

Pirbright is now planning additional research to examine the precise biological mechanisms behind the genetic resistance. Researchers believe this could have major implications for poultry breeding, as well as human flu treatments.

The Pirbright work was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and included scientists from the University of Oxford and The Francis Crick Institute in London.

Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Previous ArticleProducers warned over “heightened” risk of HPAI entering the UK
Next Article Users in “last chance saloon” for rodenticide stewardship regime
Colin Ley

Read Similar Stories

Health & Welfare

Avian flu confirmed in backyard flock

June 18, 20251 Min Read
Health & Welfare

Hygiene audits critical to pathogen control in hatcheries

June 13, 20253 Mins Read
Health & Welfare

A vet’s perspective on probiotic supplementation in broiler systems

June 11, 20255 Mins Read
Latest News

What if AI could run your farm better than you?

June 19, 2025

Comment: World events reinforce the need for a strong farming industry here

June 19, 2025

Avian flu confirmed in backyard flock

June 18, 2025
Sponsored Content

Navigating Sustainability in Egg Production: Practical Steps for Producers

June 1, 2025

Maintain stable and continuous coccidiosis control amidst stocking density reductions

November 1, 2024
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms & Conditions

  • Farmers Weekly
  • AA Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • Pig World

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.