India is one of Zoetis’ strongest markets in Asia for in-ovo vaccination 

The recent H5N1 avian influenza resurgence in poultry farms in certain districts of Maharashtra and Karnataka once again reminds us that human health is connected to animal health. How has animal health science and research evolved to meet these challenges? 

When we see outbreaks like H5N1, it is a very real reminder that animal health and human health are deeply connected. These are not abstract public health concepts. They affect farms, families, food systems, trade and livelihoods, often very quickly. 

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) remains one of the most serious threats to global animal health. India has had experience with H5N1 since its first poultry outbreak in Maharashtra in 2006, so the current resurgence builds on a history that has already shown why vigilance, rapid response and coordination matter. According to the World Organisation for Animal Health’s HPAI Situation Report 71 dated May 2025 (1), HPAI has led to the death or mass culling of more than 633 million poultry worldwide between 2005 and 2024, and the recent spread of H5N1 beyond poultry into other species, including mammals, reinforces why surveillance and scientific readiness matter.prediction, prevention, detection and rapid response – from biosecurity and genomic sequencing to faster diagnostics, better field-level.

What has changed is the speed and precision of animal health science. The response is no longer only reactive. It is increasingly built around surveillance and data sharing. 

At Zoetis, this aligns closely with how we think about innovation. With nearly 75 years of experience in animal health, our role is to support veterinarians, producers and public health systems with science that helps predict, prevent, detect and treat disease. 

But science only delivers when the systems around it are strong. That means robust biosecurity, surveillance, rapid diagnostics, transparent reporting and collaboration across government, industry and the veterinary community. Where appropriate and permitted by local policy, vaccination can also be part of that broader disease-control strategy. That is One Health in practice. 

What can be done to proactively detect and predict zoonotic spillover incidents, especially as industrial livestock farming intensifies? 

The shift we need is from waiting for disease to appear, to building systems that help us prevent disease and detect risk earlier. That means stronger biosecurity, surveillance, better field-level sampling, faster diagnostics, genomic sequencing, and the ability to connect data across animal health, human health and the environment. Biosecurity remains fundamental, but it cannot stand alone. It needs to be supported by surveillance, diagnostics, responsible vaccination strategies where appropriate, and clear channels for rapid reporting and response. 

The real opportunity is to make those systems more connected. If something is detected at farm level, that information should move quickly through veterinary, public health and government systems so that risk can be assessed and action taken earlier. Digital platforms, data analytics and AI can support this by helping identify patterns, prioritise risks and enable faster decisions. 

At Zoetis, we have a long history with avian influenza beginning in the early 2000s when we developed a vaccine in response to outbreaks in SE Asia. Since then, we continue to monitor avian influenza as well as many other zoonotic diseases so we can be ready with updated solutions if warranted. 

We are also investing in genomics, predictive analytics and digital tools, and our India Capability Centre is part of that global capability. As livestock systems become more complex, the most effective approach will be a connected One Health system: good farm practices, strong veterinary capacity, science-led surveillance and prevention and close collaboration across industry, government and public health authorities. 

How is India’s poultry sector evolving vis a vis other countries? Has it demonstrated the capability to tackle such public health challenges while balancing growth imperatives? 

India’s poultry sector is evolving quickly, and its importance goes well beyond agriculture. Poultry is one of the most accessible sources of animal protein, and India is now the world’s second-largest egg producer. India also ranks fourth globally in overall meat production, with poultry accounting for nearly half of the country’s meat output. 

The opportunity is significant, but so is the responsibility. As the sector grows, strong animal health systems become even more important. Among larger integrated producers, we are seeing greater focus on biosecurity, veterinary oversight, housing, hygiene and disease prevention. That is encouraging because animal health is not only a welfare issue. It is a productivity, food security and public health issue. India has demonstrated the ability to respond to animal disease threats through national and state-level surveillance, reporting and containment systems. At the same time, recent avian influenza outbreaks show that the next step is consistency: ensuring good biosecurity, veterinary access, rapid reporting and preventive health practices across the full poultry ecosystem. 

What is encouraging is India’s pace of modernisation, technical talent and growing recognition that prevention is far less costly than a serious outbreak. The poultry markets that will lead over the next decade will not simply be those that produce more, but those that grow responsibly and build resilience into the system. 

What are the latest technologies available in this space? 

There is a great deal of innovation happening across poultry health, and I would group it into three areas: prevention, production systems and decision-making. 

On prevention, vaccine science is becoming more precise and adaptable as disease threats evolve. Vector and recombinant vaccines are a fast-growing area, and approaches such as DIVA – Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals – are increasingly important because they support surveillance, disease control and confidence in global trade.

The way vaccines are delivered is also changing. India has seen a remarkable shift from more conventional farmlevel vaccination and treatment-led protocols toward hatchery vaccination and prevention-led health programmes. For Zoetis, our in-ovo vaccination technologies, including Inovoject and Inovoject NXT, are strong examples. They support vaccine delivery during incubation, helping hatcheries automate and standardise vaccination at scale. India has adopted this technology quickly and is one of Zoetis’ strongest markets in Asia for in-ovo vaccination, reflecting how fast the sector is modernising. 

Beyond vaccines, environment-controlled farming is another important advancement. Better control of temperature, ventilation, humidity and housing conditions can improve predictability, productivity and flock health. 

On detection and decisionmaking, faster diagnostics, field-level sampling, genomic sequencing, environmental surveillance, digital platforms and AI are all changing what is possible. They can help identify risks, support faster decisions and strengthen the connection between farm-level signals and public health response. 

That is the direction poultry health innovation is moving in: stronger prevention, more consistent production systems, faster detection and more connected decision-making. 

How affordable and implementable are these technologies for India’s poultry sector, given that each country would have localised situations linked to capex, labour available at poultry farms etc? 

These are exactly the right questions, because technology only matters if it can be implemented in the system where it is needed. In a market like India, affordability and practicality are just as important as scientific sophistication. 

The answer will not be the same for every part of the poultry sector. For larger integrated producers, many technologies – from improved vaccination systems and stronger biosecurity to digital monitoring and diagnostics – are increasingly viable because the business case for prevention is clear. 

For smaller and mediumscale producers, the model has to be different. It cannot depend on every farmer making large capital investments. Shared infrastructure, veterinary extension services, practical farm-level training and partnership models become much more important. For smaller and mediumscale producers, the model has to be different. It cannot depend on every farmer making large capital investments. Shared infrastructure, veterinary extension services, practical farm-level training and partnership models become much more important. 

This is where Zoetis can bring value beyond products alone. We bring both products and services – including technical knowledge, training, field support and experience from different markets – which can help producers of different sizes adopt solutions in a way that is practical for their operations.India also has an implementation advantage: people on the ground. Farm workers can observe changes in flock health, follow biosecurity protocols and escalate concerns quickly, but only if they are trained, supported and given clear protocols. 

So the technologies are implementable, but not through a one-size-fits-all model. The right approach is tiered: advanced systems for larger integrated producers, shared access and support models for smaller producers, and strong basic biosecurity, surveillance and training across the sector. That is how we can partner in the industry’s transition to become more efficient, resilient and sustainable. 

A key feature of preventive strategies is vaccination, be it human or animal health. What are the latest offerings in this space for animal health and the advantages over traditional methods? 

Vaccines are one of the most important tools we have in preventive animal health. Across livestock, poultry and companion animals, they help protect animal welfare, support more reliable food production, and reduce the need to use antimicrobials to manage disease. That is why vaccines should be seen as part of core health infrastructure, not just as a response during an outbreak. 

What is changing is the precision of vaccine science and the consistency of delivery. Compared with more traditional approaches, newer vaccine technologies can be more targeted, more adaptable to changing disease threats, and easier to deliver consistently at scale. In areas such as avian influenza, they can also support surveillance through strategies like DIVA, which we discussed earlier.

Delivery is advancing too. Zoetis in-ovo vaccination technologies, including Inovoject and Inovoject NXT, help hatcheries automate and standardise vaccine delivery at scale, which is especially relevant for modern poultry systems.For India, the opportunity is to make prevention practical across different production systems. That means combining strong vaccine science with biosecurity, surveillance, training and technical support, so that innovation works not only in theory, but in the day-today reality of farms, hatcheries and veterinary practice. 

What is Zoetis’ annual spend on R&D as a percentage of overall revenues? Give us an idea of the projects in the animal health research pipeline to watch out for in this space. 

R&D is central to who we are as a company. Since our IPO, Zoetis has invested more than $6 billion in research and development, reflecting our sustained commitment to science-led innovation. 

What matters is not only the level of investment, but where it is focused. Our pipeline includes 12 potential blockbuster candidates across areas of significant unmet need, including chronic kidney disease, oncology, cardiology, anxiety and obesity in companion animals. We are also continuing to advance innovation in core areas such as osteoarthritis pain, dermatology, vaccines and livestock health. 

One area to watch is precision animal health. Zoetis has announced an agreement to acquire Neogen’s animal genomics business, which would strengthen our capabilities in genomic technologies and data-led insights for livestock producers, subject to closing and regulatory approvals. 

More broadly, the future of animal health will be increasingly integrated. It will not be medicines, vaccines, diagnostics or data in isolation, but these capabilities working together to help veterinarians and producers predict, prevent, detect and treat disease earlier and more effectively. That is where we see the next wave of innovation. 

Besides industrial livestock, the One Health philosophy includes the pet and companion animals. What is the current share of global revenues coming from India and what is predicted growth of the overall animal health market in India? 

India sits within our International segment, which remains an important growth driver for Zoetis. In our most recent quarter, our International segment delivered 10% organic operational growth, and India is an active part of that broader story. The market itself is very promising. Public estimates vary, but India is widely expected to be a high-growth animal health market, driven by the continued importance of livestock and poultry, as well as the rapid evolution of companion animal care. 

On the companion animal side, we are seeing a clear shift. Urbanisation, rising incomes, changing family structures and the growing role of pets in households are changing expectations of veterinary care. Pet owners are becoming more aware of prevention, diagnostics, parasite protection, dermatology and chronic disease management – not just treatment when something goes wrong. 

For Zoetis, the opportunity is to support that transition across both livestock and companion animals: helping producers improve health, productivity and disease prevention, while supporting veterinarians and pet owners with innovative solutions that improve quality of life for pets.

That is One Health in practice – stronger animal health, stronger veterinary capacity and better preventive care contributing to healthier animals, people and communities. 

What are Zoetis’ plans for India? Where does it fit into the company’s overall strategy, besides being a huge market? 

India is an important market for Zoetis, and not simply because of its size. What makes India distinctive is the combination of commercial opportunity, scientific capability and technology talent.We have a strong commercial presence in India, a Veterinary Medicine Research and Development presence in the Mumbai-Thane area, and our Zoetis India Capability Center in Hyderabad, which has become an important part of our global digital and technology capability. That gives India a role beyond local market growth – it contributes to how we innovate for customers globally. 

On the ground, our focus is to expand access to our portfolio across livestock and companion animals, while bringing global innovation to Indian veterinarians, producers and pet owners in a way that fits the market. That includes preventive care, productivity, diagnostics, dermatology, pain management and digital tools that support better decision-making.

More broadly, we want to be a long-term partner in strengthening India’s animal health ecosystem. As India’s ambitions in food production, productivity and companion animal care continue to grow, strong animal health infrastructure will be a critical enabler. What gives me confidence is the depth of talent we see in India – across our teams, our customers, and the veterinary and technology communities we work with. 

 

References: 1. High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (Hpai) Situation Report 71 https://www.woah.org/app/uploa ds/2025/06/hpai-report-71.pdf 

 

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