top of page

Educational Opportunities and Resources

Upcoming Webinar

More details coming soon.

Past Webinars

ONE HEALTH PERSPECTIVES ON PREVENTING BIRD FLU​

February 10, 2026​​​​​​  

A two-speaker webinar

Click here for a video replay. 

One Health Approach to HPAI and the Impacts of Intensive Poultry Production

Thijs Kuiken DVM, PhD, DACVP

Professor of Comparative Pathology

Department of Viroscience

Erasmus MC

Dr. Kuiken examines the HPAI H5 Goose/Guangdong outbreak, its links to intensive poultry production, and response strategies including vaccination and reducing farm size and density, using a One Health approach.

Copy of HPAI Webinar February 2026 (Instagram Post (45)).png

LEARNING OBJECTIVES​

  • Learn how the epidemiology of HPAI H5 virus of the Goose/Guangdong lineage differs from other HPAI viruses​​

  • Gain an understanding of how intensive poultry production impacts the health of humans, animals, and the environment​​

  • Explore One Health-based responses to these impacts

Feedback from the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Vaccination Program in France

Charles Martins Ferreira, DVM

Deputy Counselor for Agricultural Affairs

Embassy of France to the United States

Dr. Martins Ferreira reviews HPAI in France, the vaccination program and its results, surveillance, current epidemiology, and trade considerations.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Gain an understanding of reasons for adopting a vaccination campaign to target HPAI

  • Learn how to design and implement a successful HPAI vaccination program, including the need for a robust surveillance system to track virus circulation

  • Explore strategies for negotiating trade bans associated with HPAI vaccination

ACHIEVING HIGHER-WELFARE LIVING ENVIRONMENTS FOR FARM ANIMALS 

October 18, 2025​​​​​​  

Research, industry, and veterinary voices come together to share insights on bridging the gap between animal welfare science and on-farm implementation of higher-welfare practices.

​

Click here for more details and here for a video replay.

1.png

RECOGNIZING AND MANAGING PAIN IN CATTLE 

Eduarda Bortoluzzi, M.V., M.S., Ph.D. (Kansas State University)

July 16, 2025​

​

Click here for a video replay. 

​

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

​

  • Develop an understanding of why pain management is essential for animal health and welfare.

​​

  • Gain insight into the challenges associated with identifying and managing pain.

​​

  • Learn about current options for pain management and plans to advance welfare.

Cattle Pain Webinar - Social Media-2.png

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL GROUP HOUSING OF SOWS 

Jeremy Marchant, Ph.D. (Organic Plus Trust)

May 8, 2025

​

Click here for a video replay.

​

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

​

  • Understand how intensive sow housing developed and how it impacts sow health and welfare

​​

  • Apply knowledge of pig natural behavior to mitigate health and welfare challenges

​

  • Describe how different elements of sow housing fit within the Five Domains model of animal welfare

Social Media - Sow Housing Webinar.png

A BETTER MEANS TO A HUMANE ENDING?
Nitrogen Anoxia for the Mass Depopulation of Livestock

Jeffrey Hill, MSc (President, Livestock Welfare Strategies, and Member, Board of Directors, VAFAW)

February 25, 2025

​

Click here for a video replay. 

​​

Click here for the powerpoint presentation. 

​

Click here for a nitrogen whole house gassing resource.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

​

  • Gain insight into the importance of improving depopulation systems to better protect animal welfare​​

​​

  • Develop an understanding of the different nitrogen-based methods for mass depopulation, including their mechanism of action and requirements for preparedness

​​​

  • Learn to compare N2-based methods to other depopulation methods and apply this knowledge to help clients in selecting the option(s) best suited to their circumstances

​​​

  • Learn to recognize critical factors in applying inert gassing technologies and the value of integrating real-time depopulation process monitoring and audit programming

Nitrogen - Depopulation - Webinar Website-2.png

HUMANE ENDINGS:

Navigating the Ethical Maze of Animal Welfare in Depopulation Practices

Jessica Elisabeth Martin, B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc., Ph.D., FHEA (Newcastle University)

October 30, 2024

​

Click here for a video replay. 

​​​​​

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

  • Understand the ethical considerations in depopulation

  • Recognize the importance of human responsibility

  • Assess the practicality of depopulation methods

  • Explore innovative depopulation solutions

Depopulation Webinar Social Media-2.png

HIGHLY PATHOGENIC AVIAN INFLUENZA:

Vaccines and Vaccination Programs for Poultry

Erica Spackman, MS, PhD (Research Microbiologist, U.S. Department of Agriculture)

August 21, 2024

​

This was a live-only event.  A replay is not available.

​​​​​

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

  • Understand vaccine availability for avian influenza in poultry.

  • Identify critical components of successful avian influenza vaccination programs.

  • Explain metrics of efficacy and correlates for vaccine-induced protection for avian influenza in poultry​.

VAFAW Social Media HPAI Webinar Register-3.png

PAIN IN FARM ANIMALS:

Understanding the Barriers to Mitigation & Improving Welfare

Abigale Zoltick, DVM (Director of Education, VAFAW)

May 8, 2024

​

Click here for a video replay. ​

​​

This webinar is relevant for veterinarians and others who treat farm animals, as well as anyone committed to advancing farm animal welfare via policy reforms. 

​

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

  • ​Understand pain physiology and its connection to animal welfare.

  • Identify causes of pain in farm animals, including management procedures and diseases.

  • Explore the scarcity of FDA-approved drugs for pain in farm animals, resulting in extra-label use.

  • Investigate barriers to on-farm pain management and their impact on animal welfare.

Pain Webinar LinkedIn Post.jpg

 info@vafaw.org

​

VAFAW is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. (EIN 93-1583316)

candid-seal-platinum-2026.png

VAFAW holds the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (formerly GuideStar), a leading nonprofit accountability and information source.

bottom of page