Avian influenza (HPAI) vaccines — 2025–2026 programmes
Avian influenza is no longer a seasonal disease — it returns all year round and across the globe. Costly culling of flocks has pushed several countries into vaccination trials: France vaccinates ducks, the Netherlands tests layers, and the US is studying vaccines for turkeys. We explain how these programmes work, what the DIVA principle means and what follows for a Polish farmer. You’ll find the basics on the general page “Poultry vaccination against avian influenza”.
verifiedFrom the team that has organised work on poultry farms for years.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has become a structural problem — year-round and global, not just an autumn-and-winter one. So far the main tool has been stamping out infected flocks, which is costly and devastating for the industry. That is why, since 2023, the European Union has allowed poultry vaccination against HPAI, and several countries have launched their first real programmes. It’s a good moment to understand what they look like and what to expect from them.
Why is vaccination back on the table now?
Because culling is no longer enough. With the virus circulating all year and hitting wild birds too, closing down and destroying flocks doesn’t stop the losses. Vaccination is meant to cut the number of outbreaks and the scale of culls, but it raises a new problem: importing countries fear that a vaccinated, symptom-free bird may still spread the virus. That makes the DIVA principle — telling a vaccinated bird apart from an infected one — and trade coordination crucial. Note: HPAI is not the same as Newcastle disease (ND) — these are two different diseases with separate vaccines.
HPAI vaccination programmes and the DIVA principle
Each country took a different route: a different species, a different goal, a different stage. One thing unites them — vaccination only makes sense with good surveillance and clear trade rules.
Why vaccination is back on the table
HPAI now circulates all year and reaches wild birds, so culling flocks alone is no longer enough. In 2025 losses across Europe and the world were huge and compensation costs kept rising. Vaccination is meant to cut the number of outbreaks and the scale of culls, which is why, after years of caution, several countries decided to test it in practice.
How the vaccine and the DIVA principle work
An HPAI vaccine is meant to cut disease and the amount of virus birds shed, but it gives no full guarantee a bird won’t get infected. That is why the DIVA principle (differentiating infected from vaccinated animals) is used: the vaccine and tests let you tell a merely vaccinated bird apart from one that has been through an infection. Without that distinction, the risk of export bans grows.
France’s programme — ducks
France was first to launch a large programme. Vaccination covered ducks only, starting in October 2023; by November 2024 about 61 million ducks had been vaccinated, on a two-dose schedule, mandatory for flocks of ≥250 birds (meat and foie gras). The result: over a year only about 10 HPAI outbreaks (2 in vaccinated flocks), against an estimated ~487 outbreaks without vaccination. The vaccines are DIVA-compliant, and the US resumed imports of French poultry in January 2025.
The Dutch pilot and turkeys in the US
Since around March 2025 the Netherlands has run a pilot vaccinating laying hens (until early 2027): chicks vaccinated in hatcheries go to layer farms, and the eggs are sold domestically only — the goal is to test the market response and gain experience in surveillance. In the US, an experimental, inactivated vaccine (designation SEP-22-N9) for turkeys against H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b was evaluated: in studies, 100% survival of vaccinated groups and markedly less virus shedding, with DIVA differentiation. This is still a research stage, not a registered product.
The trade barrier and export
The biggest obstacle isn’t the vaccine itself, but trade. Importing countries fear that vaccinated, symptom-free birds may spread the virus, so they threaten import bans — a real risk of losing export markets. Broiler producers worry about restrictions if a programme doesn’t cover all segments. Coordination at the level of WOAH and the WTO is needed so that vaccination doesn’t close the door to export.
The situation in Poland and the EU
In Poland in 2025, about 20.4 million birds were culled due to HPAI, and compensation reached around PLN 936 million; the budget for fighting infectious diseases in 2026 is about PLN 1.1 billion. In autumn 2025 the National Federation of Poultry Farmers and Egg Producers (KFHDiPJ) proposed a pilot vaccination of laying hens. Mandatory HPAI vaccination is not yet carried out in Poland — it’s a topic under discussion. As of 2025/2026, check the current rules.
What to do step by step
- 1
Follow decisions of the EU, the ministry and WOAH
Vaccination programmes arise and change fast, so rely on official sources: the European Commission, the Ministry of Agriculture and WOAH, not rumours. Check whether a pilot or an obligation for your species has started in Poland. This is the state as of 2025/2026 — before you put anything in place, confirm the current rules with your district veterinary officer.
- 2
Don’t expect vaccination to replace biosecurity
An HPAI vaccine cuts disease and virus shedding, but it gives no full protection and doesn’t release you from safety rules. Foreign programmes pair vaccination with strict surveillance and biosecurity — not instead of them. Treat any vaccination as an extra tool, not a way to loosen hygiene on the farm.
- 3
Understand DIVA and trade requirements
If you sell for export or to large buyers, the DIVA principle and importing countries’ requirements may concern you directly. Find out whether your market accepts vaccinated poultry and what testing it requires. It’s better to settle this in advance with your buyer than to learn of an import ban after the fact.
- 4
With any programme — document the vaccinations
Should a pilot or an obligation start, careful documentation becomes key: which vaccine was given, when, which dose and what the surveillance results were. Such records are the basis of DIVA and a condition of trade. Keep them alongside the flock card, so for every batch you have the full set of dates and information in one place.
- 5
Maintain biosecurity and monitoring
Whatever happens with vaccination, keep biosecurity high: control of entries, disinfection, protection from wild birds and quick reporting of symptoms. Monitor mortality, drops in egg-laying and respiratory signs, because early detection limits losses. These are the first line of defence against HPAI, even where vaccination is already in place.
- 6
Plan export risk with your buyer
If your sales depend on export, talk to your buyer about scenarios: what happens when an outbreak appears nearby or when import rules change in the destination country. Joint risk planning lets you react faster and limit losses. Note down the arrangements, so you know how to act if the situation changes.
Frequently asked questions about HPAI vaccines
Is poultry vaccinated against avian influenza in Poland?add
For now there is no mandatory HPAI vaccination in Poland — it’s still a topic under discussion. In autumn 2025 the National Federation of Poultry Farmers and Egg Producers (KFHDiPJ) proposed a pilot vaccination of laying hens, but there is no widespread programme. This is the state as of 2025/2026, so confirm the current rules with your district veterinary officer and in Ministry of Agriculture announcements.
Do vaccinations really work — the French example?add
In France the duck programme brought a clear effect. After about 61 million ducks were vaccinated, only about 10 HPAI outbreaks (2 in vaccinated flocks) were recorded over a year, against an estimated ~487 outbreaks without vaccination. This shows that a well-run vaccination can strongly cut the number of outbreaks. It does not, however, remove the need for biosecurity and surveillance, which go hand in hand with it.
What is DIVA and why does it matter so much?add
DIVA (differentiating infected from vaccinated animals) is the principle by which the vaccine and tests let you tell a merely vaccinated bird apart from one that has been through an infection. It’s crucial for trade: without it, importing countries can’t be sure a flock isn’t spreading the virus, and they may close exports. That is why vaccination programmes are built on DIVA-compliant vaccines and on surveillance.
Does vaccination release you from biosecurity?add
No. An HPAI vaccine cuts disease and virus shedding, but gives no full guarantee a bird won’t get infected. All foreign programmes pair vaccination with strict biosecurity and surveillance, rather than replacing them. So even with any vaccination, keep control of entries, disinfection, protection from wild birds and quick reporting of symptoms.
Record vaccinations and surveillance in DlaFerm.pl
In DlaFerm.pl, next to the flock card, you note vaccinations, dates and surveillance documents — all for each batch in one place, in case of a vaccination programme or trade requirements. Create a free account or write to us.
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