Persistent Weak Spots in Biosecurity Practices

11/07/2025

At UBEK 2025, Dr. Ilias Chantziaras from Ghent University, Belgium, joined us for an exclusive interview to address a pressing concern in poultry health: biosecurity practices are still falling short, despite growing awareness in recent years.

Chantziaras emphasized that while the importance of biosecurity is now widely recognized across the industry, critical errors continue to be made in key areas of implementation. The root of the problem? “Rules exist,” he says, “but their consistent application depends entirely on individuals and farm-level discipline.”

Even with protocols in place, routine tasks—like maintaining hygiene standards—tend to suffer over time due to declining motivation and lack of active monitoring.

To solve this, Chantziaras advocates for greater investment in farm evaluation tools, particularly biotech-based systems that can monitor whether biosecurity measures are actually being followed. These systems could offer real-time insights and help producers maintain consistency, traceability, and compliance across operations.

His message is clear: effective biosecurity isn’t just about having the right rules—it’s about ensuring they are actively applied and monitored, day in and day out.

📺 Watch the full exclusive interview with Dr. Ilias Chantziaras now on The Animal Economics official YouTube channel.