As in many continents or countries, Europe or France have not been spared during the winter 2025-26 by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). At least 650 outbreaks were declared in Europe last winter, with several European countries reporting around 100 outbreaks in countries like Germany, France or UK.
Maintaining regular activity and controlling sanitary risks in such situation is a major challenge. It requires the involvement of all company staff, as well as a series of decisions and actions to be implemented at every level of the production process.
Of course, in France, and probably very soon in other European countries, as far as we know, we have the possibility to vaccinate some duck breeder flocks, while in France it is mandatory to vaccinate all commercial duck flocks. Only breeder flocks from which the issues shall be exported outside France cannot be vaccinated, whether for supplies to Europe or to other continents.
Taking into account this vaccination weapon against HPAI, some of the actions implemented at Grimaud Freres to avoid contamination are the following:
- Specific training for all staff on good biosecurity practices in selection farms, breeder farms and hatcheries, as well as regular communication with all production sites to inform managers and staff about evolution of bird flu contamination in the surroundings of each site.
- Priority protection for duck selection farms where pedigree birds are located, and duplication of pedigree birds in other farms at least 100 km from the selection farm, in order to maintain a replication of the genetic in case of contamination at a selection farm.
- As has been organized and implemented for more than a decade in Grimaud Frères, establishing the Grand-Parent (GP) flock farms in areas with a low concentration of poultry production to reduce the risk of contamination from neighboring farms, and taking into account that GP flocks can’t be vaccinated in order to ensure the supply and worldwide export of Parent-Stock (PS) birds.
- Implementation of vaccination against bird flu of all duck breeder farms located in regions showing high risk of contamination, for example in territories with a high concentration of poultry production.
- Developing new breeder farms in areas with a low concentration of poultry production in the surroundings and keeping non-vaccinated breeder flocks in such farms to ensure the supply of commercial hatching eggs or ducklings to our clients in Europe.
- Monitoring the vaccination program with regular control on anti-bodies against bird flu, to ensure good protection of breeder flocks throughout their laying period and across all seasons.
In such challenging situation, there is a part of chance in avoiding HPAI contamination, but there are also many decisions and actions that can be implemented to increase the chances of preventing disease and viral outbreaks.
Grimaud Freres was able to continue operating its activities at full capacity during this past winter, supplying clients and farmers in France, and also supplying the breeder flocks to all destinations authorized for export from France, in the quantities and within timelines committed to clients and farmers. The company will continue building this level of preparedness for the coming months and years.