Venturus, a leading technology and innovation institute, has developedan artificial intelligence–based solution for Vaxxinova, a companyspecialized in animal health, to support the protection of poultry raised forthe food industry.
The solution was designed to enhance thedetection and classification of Eimeria, the parasite responsible forcoccidiosis, a disease that affects poultry health and productivity, oftenleading to major financial losses for producers.
Coccidiosis attacks the intestinal tract ofbirds, slowing growth, reducing egg production, and in severe cases, leading todeath. The disease can cause significant economic damage, particularly inregions of Brazil that rely heavily on poultry farming.
Effective control and prevention depend onprecise diagnosis and the administration of high-efficacy vaccines.
Traditionally, diagnosis and vaccine qualitycontrol involve identifying, quantifying, and classifying Eimeriaoocysts—a process that has long relied on manual inspection by trainedtechnicians. In addition to being time-consuming, this method is highlydependent on human expertise and is prone to errors that may compromise theaccuracy of results.
To address these challenges, Venturus developedan advanced AI model using computer vision to automatically detect, classify,and count the oocysts present in samples.
Unlike the human eye, which struggles todifferentiate between Eimeria species, AI is capable of performing thisanalysis with remarkable precision. The system continuously improves itsclassification accuracy through machine learning, becoming more effective as itprocesses new samples.
“This technology is critical, especially when itcomes to animal health,” says Allyn Pierre, Operations Manager at Venturus andlead on the Vaxxinova project. “Diseases like coccidiosis can lead to seriousfinancial losses for producers, so prevention is key.”
By enabling accurate classification of oocysts,the AI solution also supports the development, production, and quality controlof more effective vaccines—strengthening disease prevention strategies andcontributing to the long-term sustainability of the poultry industry.
This innovative partnership between Venturus andVaxxinova demonstrates how artificial intelligence is becoming a powerful toolin advancing animal health, optimizing processes, and enhancing biosecurityacross the food production chain.
