KUALA LUMPUR, July 28 — Poultry industry experts have highlighted the need for stronger disease prevention, climate-ready farm infrastructure, and industry-wide resilience measures to safeguard Malaysia’s food security amid increasing production pressures, evolving disease threats, and changing environmental conditions.
Speaking at the Poultry Forum hosted by Boehringer Ingelheim and Taseen Trading on July 7, 2026, local and international experts shared insights on the forces shaping the future of poultry production, from biosecurity and disease prevention to housing design, ventilation, productivity, and sustainability.
The event brought together poultry producers, veterinarians, technical specialists, and industry stakeholders from across the region to exchange practical solutions for strengthening poultry health and long-term production resilience.
Malaysia’s poultry industry remains a critical pillar of national food security. According to figures presented during the forum, Malaysians consume approximately 54.9kg of chicken meat per person annually, while the country maintains a chicken meat self-sufficiency rate of 92.9 per cent and produces an estimated 2.4 million birds every day.
However, industry experts noted that maintaining this level of production is becoming increasingly challenging as producers navigate a combination of cost volatility, disease pressures, climate-related stress, labour shortages, evolving consumer expectations, and regulatory requirements.
Dr Terry Tan Chee Hee, Advisor to the Federation of Livestock Farmers’ Associations of Malaysia (FLFAM) and Managing Director of KP Asli, said the industry’s focus must shift towards building resilience across the entire production system.
“The strategic question is no longer whether poultry is important to Malaysia’s food system. The real question is whether our production systems can remain resilient under mounting pressures from disease threats, climate stress, rising costs and changing market expectations.”
He noted that disease risks today extend far beyond animal health concerns and can have broader implications for food supply and market stability.
“Bird flu is not simply an animal health issue. A major outbreak can disrupt production, trigger trade restrictions and tighten supply almost overnight. That’s why prevention, biosecurity and early planning are essential to protecting food security.”
Throughout the forum, prevention emerged as a recurring theme, with experts emphasising that measures such as vaccination, surveillance, biosecurity, and farm management are often more effective and less costly than responding to outbreaks after they occur.
“Treatment begins after value has already been lost,” said Dr Tan. “Whether it’s mortality, slower growth or supply disruption, prevention remains the most effective investment producers can make to protect flock performance and maintain a reliable food supply.”
The forum also examined the growing impact of heat stress on poultry production in tropical environments, where high temperatures and humidity can significantly affect bird performance and welfare.
Michael Czarick, Agricultural Engineer from the University of Georgia and a globally recognised poultry housing specialist, said many producers underestimate the combined effects of temperature, humidity, bird density, and air movement on poultry health.
“When we talk about heat stress, we are often too focused on air temperature. But for poultry, bird density, humidity and air movement can have just as much impact on performance and welfare as air temperature”
Presenting data from studies on poultry housing and ventilation, Czarick explained that birds generate significant amounts of metabolic heat and rely heavily on their environment to dissipate it effectively. His presentation highlighted that increasing bird density can substantially increase the effective temperature experienced by birds, even at relatively low ambient temperatures if a house does not have properly designed and managed environmental control system.
Czarick emphasized that producers should prioritise air movement as a primary tool for helping birds cope with hot and humid conditions.
“Air speed is critical in managing heat stress. While evaporative cooling pads reduce temperature, they also raise humidity, which can impair a bird’s ability to cool itself through panting. Without sufficient air movement of about 600 ft/min (2 m/sec), the benefits of cooling can be outweighed by the negative effects of higher humidity.”
The discussions also covered practical approaches to improving poultry house design, ventilation systems, biosecurity protocols, vaccine strategies, nutrition management, and operational efficiency. Experts shared examples of how data-driven decision-making, early warning systems, and improved environmental management can help producers strengthen performance and reduce risk.
Dr Kam Kok Yen, Head of Animal Health for Boehringer Ingelheim Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, said the discussions reflected a shared industry commitment to strengthening resilience across the poultry value chain.
“Healthy poultry production is fundamental to food security. As disease challenges and environmental pressures become increasingly complex, knowledge-sharing and collaboration across the industry will be essential to help producers strengthen resilience and maintain a safe, reliable food supply.”
He added that many of the solutions discussed throughout the day were united by a common principle. “Whether through biosecurity, vaccination, housing design, or farm management, investing in prevention today helps protect productivity and food security tomorrow.”
Held under the theme “Feeding Nations, Inspiring Generations,” the Poultry Forum provided a platform for local and regional experts to exchange insights, share experiences, and explore practical strategies to build a more sustainable, productive, and resilient poultry industry for the future.
This article was produced by Boehringer-Ingelheim Malaysia.
