Aviagen India achieves compartmentalisation status

Aviagen India’s facility in Elayamuthur near Udumalpet has received compartmentalisation status from the Central Indian Government and State Government of Tamil Nadu.

The achievement of compartmentalisation is an important process and recognition by a third party for the bird health, welfare and the bio-security standards that are present at the location.

Procedures from signing in at the entry gate of the farm, through all bio-security measures of showering, changing clothes, rodent and wild bird management, sanitation procedures on entry to the chicken production houses are carefully monitored to ensure standards are met at every step of the way. Employees also accept that they need to be free from contact with backyard birds at all times when away from work.

Access to all the flock production records and results covering bird health and performance and serum samples are monitored to confirm the status of the birds. Responsibility for the comprehensive farm audit is carried out initially by a team of six individuals from the Animal Husbandry and Veterinarian Services in the state government before a second team visit is completed to confirm status and follow up any suggested improvements. This sets up a visit from the central government to review all procedures and records before conditional and then formal approval of compartmentalisation can be conveyed. Facilities are inspected every six months to ensure approval standards are continuing to be met.

Aviagen India received formal approval of compartmentalisation on January 31, 2014 allowing the company to continue to deliver birds to customers in India or to countries who have formally recognised and accepted the compartment status that exists at the Aviagen Indian production facility, when an avian influenza outbreak has occurred in other parts of the country.

“It required a significant effort and hard work to achieve compartmentalisation which also entailed converting our recording system to be compliant with the government reporting needs, commented Thamarai Selvi, quality assurance manager. “The employee commitment was most important and showed their determination to adhere to the procedures and maintain the personal training to succeed.”

“Customers now recognise that they have assurance that the important supply of grandparents and parent stock to their businesses will continue in the presence of an outbreak in the country. It is a tremendous benefit for the supplier and the customer and definitely worth the resource and commitment to secure,” added Dr. Natarajan Kavitha, GGP production manager, Aviagen India.