Webinar: Immunosuppression: Consequences for the bird and farmer

Immunosuppression is one of the most costly and least visible threats in poultry production. It rarely shows up as a single disease. Instead, it appears as vaccine failures, secondary infections, poor flock uniformity and a feed conversion ratio that never reaches target, and by the time it's recognized, the economic damage is done. Join Prof. Dr. Silke Rautenschlein of the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, a leading authority in avian immunology, as she explains how the bird's immune system becomes compromised, what causes it, and what producers and veterinarians anywhere in the world can do to protect immune health and profitability.

This webinar will broadcast at 7:00 AM CDT (Chicago) / 1:00 PM BST (London) / 8:00 PM CST (Beijing).

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:

1. Mechanisms of immunosuppression – how the immune system is weakened and why early damage affects the whole production cycle
2. Infectious and non-infectious causes – the numerous causes from viral to environmental that can impact the immune health of flocks.
3. Control measures – practical control measure, such as vaccination, biosecurity and monitoring strategies, to help protect immune function
4. Economic consequences – how immunosuppression translates into lost performance, and why immune health is a profitability decision

This webinar is sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim and presented by WATTPoultry.

Speaker Information:

Dr. Silke Rautenschlein, professor and head of the Clinic for Poultry at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo), Germany

Dr. Silke Rautenschlein has contributed greatly and shaped our understanding of poultry immunosuppression. With close to 30 years of research and clinical experience, she now heads the Clinic for Poultry at the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo), Germany, where she leads a program spanning the immunopathogenesis of infectious bursal disease, immunomodulation across different genotypes, and the development and field validation of new-generation vaccines and prophylactic strategies. Her work extends across the full spectrum of pathogen–host interaction in chickens and turkeys, including avian influenza, avian metapneumovirus, Campylobacter, and gut health, with a consistent focus on translating laboratory findings into improved health and welfare on the farm. Dr. Rautenschlein holds specialist veterinarian qualifications in both poultry veterinary science and microbiology. She is a European Specialist in Poultry Veterinary Science (EBVS®) and directs the Training Center for Poultry Veterinary Science under the European Board of Veterinary Specialization, where she shapes the next generation of poultry specialists. Her dual command of immunology and clinical practice makes her uniquely placed to explain not just what immunosuppression does inside the bird, but what it costs the farmer.