Turkeys may soon be first in line for a jab, as a UK taskforce backs an on-farm bird flu vaccine trial.
The UK’s first on-farm bird flu vaccination trial could focus on turkeys, following recommendations from a joint government and industry taskforce on avian influenza.
The report, released this week, highlights that turkeys were the most affected species during the 2022–23 bird flu season and offer “a favourable value for money profile due to their higher per-bird value and shorter production cycles.”
The taskforce says a targeted trial would generate UK-specific evidence on vaccine performance, including efficacy, duration of immunity and feasibility of surveillance.
While the UK currently restricts vaccination against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) to zoo birds in England and Northern Ireland, the report outlines three possible strategies: preventative vaccination of selected flocks, continuing the current zoo-only policy, or emergency vaccination based on specific risk triggers.
The group emphasises that strict biosecurity remains the best defence but notes that existing licensed vaccines (currently authorised only for chickens) are limited in scope. It also warns that full-scale vaccination would likely be “poor value for money” because vaccines do not entirely prevent outbreaks and uptake could be uneven.
The findings will now feed into broader discussions on future avian influenza policy, with a turkey vaccine trial viewed as a key step in closing knowledge gaps.
