Managing health issues in broilers: respiratory health

A critical pillar of sustainable broiler farming is the effective management of respiratory health, which has significant implications for animal welfare, productivity, antibiotic usage, and environmental impact. Due to their multifactorial nature, encompassing pathogens, environmental stressors, and management practices, respiratory diseases are among the most prevalent challenges in intensive poultry production. While viruses, bacteria, or fungi can act as primary etiological agents, in commercial settings, complex infections involving multiple infectious and non-infectious factors are more commonly observed than simple, single-agent infections. Accurate diagnosis and continuous surveillance remain cornerstones of disease control, with an emphasis on employing sensitive and specific laboratory tools to detect circulating pathogens and inform vaccination strategies. Molecular techniques offer increasingly refined tools for these purposes. Given the multifactorial etiology of respiratory disorders, a comprehensive approach to prevention and control is essential – integrating biosecurity, environmental management, good animal husbandry, vaccination, and both conventional and alternative therapeutic strategies.