Livetec Systems rolls out Livestock Protect for avian flu management

UK – UK-based biosecurity firm Livetec Systems is introducing a new digital platform called Livestock Protect, designed to track the spread of avian flu and help the poultry sector respond more quickly to disease threats.

The mobile application uses artificial intelligence to map outbreaks as they happen, giving producers, integrators, and packers immediate access to the location and scale of infections.

Julian Sparrey, co-founder and group technical director at Livetec, said the tool is intended to help reduce disruption caused by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), which continues to affect poultry farms across the country.

He explained that the virus does not only impact individual farms, but creates challenges throughout the poultry chain, influencing product supply, pricing, and operational stability.

With Livestock Protect, businesses are expected to make quicker decisions and better manage the risk of spread, according to Sparrey.

He added that the application fits into current systems used by poultry companies of various sizes and offers clearer insight into developing threats.

Real-time response to livestock disease threats

The app is available in three versions tailored to match different farm sizes and operational needs and has already been taken up by some major poultry producers.

Although its current design targets the poultry industry, Livetec says the platform could be adapted to monitor disease in other livestock sectors.

The launch of the app comes at a time when cases of avian flu continue to emerge across the UK, with new developments raising additional concerns.

In late March, health authorities confirmed that the H5N1 strain of bird flu had been detected in a sheep in Yorkshire, marking the first time the virus has been officially identified in that species in the UK.

The infection was uncovered during regular testing on a farm already affected by avian flu in its poultry population, but no other sheep tested positive.

The infected sheep was culled as a precautionary measure to avoid further transmission.

Following the detection, Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said that strict hygiene and control protocols had been reinforced on the affected farm.

She encouraged livestock farmers to remain alert for signs of infection and to report concerns immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

Though avian flu primarily affects birds, the virus has recently been recorded in several mammals, including pigs, cats, foxes, and more recently, dairy cows.

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