NORWAY – Chicken red mites bring both financial and animal welfare problems for the poultry industry but a new academic collaboration has been formed to tackle these challenges. Last week saw the start of a new academic collaboration on chicken mites, which kicked-off in Brussels. The academic collaboration, involving the Veterinary Institute of Norway (NVI), will last for four years. Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) is a European scientific and technological cooperation that aims to promote academic cooperation and networking between researchers in 36 countries, among them Norway.COST actions can give money to interdisciplinary workshops, conferences, short research stays, publications and other activities associated with the network.
COST action on chicken mites (‘A1404-Improving current understanding and research for sustainable control of the poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae’, (COREMI)) is chaired by Professor Olivier Sparagano (UK), and the programme currently has members from more than 17 European countries.
NVI is represented on the steering committee with Øivind Øines and is, together with Magne Hansen (Animalia) the two Norwegian members of management committee for action.
COST action will be an important networking platform to encourage European cooperation in research on chicken mites.
Chicken mites are common and found in most European countries, with a prevalence 80 per cent or more.
The parasite brings financial problems for the industry and also adversely impacts bird welfare on infected farms.
This action aims to promote research on chicken mites, to increase the biological understanding of the parasite and to develop new methods of treatment and control.
(the poultry site)
