Introduction
In India, the poultry industry is growing and evolving rapidly over the recent decades. The advancement in poultry genetics, balanced nutrition, improved poultry houses and effective health management are the most important pillars of the success of the industry. However, these rapidly moving dynamics of the industry has been creating more challenging issues for the professionals involve in the industry.
The Poultry veterinarian’s role in modern poultry industry is vital for sustainable development of the industry. The challenges face by poultry vets today, are completely different from the challenges encounter during the last decade of 20th century and beginning of the 21st century. The emerging diseases, variant form of existing diseases, zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance, animal welfare and food safety are some of the challenges that poultry vets face today.
The infectious disease challenge still exists at their best in most of the poultry farms. There are new variants emerge for most of the poultry viruses and vaccination is still questionable for some of the rapidly changing viral diseases like IB, LPAI, HPAI. The emergence of antimicrobial resistance has created more challenging issue in controlling these diseases. Therefore, the alternative control strategies like prebiotics, probiotics, inorganic acids, competitive exclusion should be adapted to minimize colonization of the pathogen as well as to reduce antimicrobial usage.
The increasing concern of animal welfare among consumers is a significant challenge for the poultry health professionals in modern poultry farming. While ensuring the rights of birds such as freedom of hunger and thirst, freedom of pain, freedom from discomfort, freedom of expression of normal behaviour, the achievement of optimum performances is important for the sustainable development of the business.
The food safety is one of the important aspects of poultry farming. The control and prevention of diseases like salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis is vital for human health as well as poultry health. There should be a well-coordinated system along the whole value chain of the poultry product to control such food borne diseases.
Role of Veterinarians in Boosting the Poultry Industry. In various types of poultry production, veterinarians are needed for the welfare of the birds. Although many non-profit organizations are vital in the well-being of the birds, veterinarians are the experts in this job. They are experts because they know how to diagnose, prevent, control, and treat the diseases and other conditions of the birds.
ABOUT AVIVET PROFESSIONAL WELFARE ASSOCIATION (APWA)
The Avivet Professional Welfare Association (APWA) is an Indian non-profit professional organization established in the year 2022 to raise a united voice for the veterinary profession in livestock farming & animal husbandry sector and the advancement of Veterinary Profession & Animal Health Science in India.
APWA is an unique combination of poultry veterinarians from field of Production, Researchers, Academicians, Marketing, Producers of Broiler/Layer/Breeder, Feed Millers, Policy Makers, Politicians etc from Indian and International market, Servicing dedicatedly to Poultry sector.
We work for championing and empowering the veterinary profession to thrive by providing a voice, education, community and support.
Mission Statement
The mission of APWA is to preserve, promote and encourage the activities of entire stakeholders including Veterinarians , Poultry Professionals, Broiler farmers, Layer Farmers, breeders, processors, consumers and other allied fields related to the poultry either directly or indirectly.
APWA is mainly focused and dedicated towards poultry industry through our set common objective. We are keen to explore all possibilities to add value by our professional expertise.
Focussing on advocacy for the profession, we try to meet with government and industry stakeholders to represent the views of our members, developing and implementing strategies to address the issues that matter to the profession, including workforce issues, animal health and welfare, veterinary legislation and biosecurity etc. which the sector faces in their day to day life and do its best to safeguard the interests of all the stakeholders of the industry.
APWA aims at providing facilities for exchange of information and opinion of interest to all poultry Farmers. It believes in the advantages of united action to accomplish goals where individuals will not be in a position to accomplish on their own.
Additionally, APWA also aims to works on eradication of Protein Malnutrition in India, as India is highly protein deficient. It creates awareness amongst local mass about the amount of protein to be consumed by a person per day and how chicken & Egg consumptions will meet their need .
APWA will supports the poultry and egg industries through research related to all aspects of the poultry and egg industry, education via our seminars and conferences, and on a technical level, specifically focusing on food safety, environmental aspects, worker health, safety and human resources.
APWA is also aiming to working towards providing financial assistance to the association member or his/her nominee in case of total permanent disablement which renders him/her unfit for further services as much possible. Encouraging youngsters, members of poultry professional for entrepreneurship in Poultry Farming and allied industries/profession.
APWA is progressively serving its poultry and egg farmers through research, education, communications and technical services.
Being technocrats of the industry we are using various social platforms to get real time insights and extension work in poultry industry.
We support to ensure:
1. A “Farm gate-to-Plate” system of food safety assurance in the production of poultry products. This includes validated HACCP programmes throughout the production-marketing process.
2. The viability of all aspects of the Indian poultry enterprise. This involves health surveillance and risk assessment to protect Indian and export consumers and provide them with safe, high-quality poultry products.
3. Bird welfare, by providing an optimum environment including fresh air, clean water, dry litter and adequate room so that they remain healthy and in a state of well- being.
4. Prevention of diseases based on good management practices, biosecurity and hygiene during growth, production and transportation.
5. Continuous progress of the poultry industry through education and research, which we source, develop and share with our clients, industry partners and colleagues.
6. To remove all discriminations between small, medium and big poultry farmers and to design the organizational structure in an efficient manner between the local level/block level and district level/state level and even to extend it till the gram panchayat level.
7. We undertakes professional, technical and management consultation service to farms in different villages, towns and cities in all states apart from undertaking studies, surveys and research projects.
Vision Statement
APWA will be the premium national resource for knowledge relating to health, welfare and food safety for the commercial poultry industry throughout India.
The association intends to bring out and publish for sale or private circulation or free distribution, books, newspapers, periodicals and pamphlets.
It also seeks to organize exhibitions, trade fairs, promote marketing, marketing groups and to undertake such activities to promote marketing of poultry products.
Providing a supportive framework to enable social and professional connection and bring us together on important issues.
Providing a Veterinary Health and Wellness Framework to secure a thriving and sustainable future for the profession.
