In May, China's largest animal vaccine company, Jinyu Bio-technology Co Ltd, said it would open its first US facilities - a research lab and offices in the Kansas State University Office Park located on the north side of the Manhattan, Kansas, campus.

"Jinyu joins the world's largest concentration of animal health companies by locating in the KC (Kansas City) Animal Health Corridor with more than 300 animal-health companies in our region. Manhattan, Kansas, and Kansas State University are at the forefront of animal health research that is relevant to the Chinese animal agriculture industry and the world," said Kimberly Young, president of the KC Animal Health Corridor.

The agricultural link between China and US appears to be on an upswing currently as American beef has been reintroduced to China following the lifting of a 2003 ban due to mad cow disease.

Jishu Shi, director of the US-China Center for Animal Health and a professor at Kansas State University, said that Jinyu's main products include foot and mouth disease vaccines for pigs and cattle, vaccines for classical swine fever, porcine circovirus, and other commercial vaccines for pigs, cattle, sheep and poultry.

The company has three subsidiaries in China: Jiyubaoling Biopharmaceutical Co in Hohhot, Youbang Biopharmaceutical Co in Yangzhou and Yikang Biological Co in Liaoning province.

"Manhattan is the home to many world renowned scientists in the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Biosecurity Research Institute and the future National Bio and Agro-defense Facility," Jinyu Chairman Chongyu Zhang said in a statement.

Mr Shi said Jinyu wants to strengthen its capabilities in animal vaccine research and development (R&D).

"(The lab) will focus on the R&D of animal vaccines, diagnostic assays and clinical training materials for veterinarians in China. It will hire four to six scientists in the next two to three years," he said.

Ms Young said that although Jinyu is the first Chinese animal health company to locate in the KC Animal Health Corridor, there are a number of international animal health companies that have set up shop in the region.

"Since the inception of the corridor in 2006, 52 new companies have relocated to the region and many existing companies have continued to invest and expand,"she said.

Ms Young said the companies have come from across the US as well as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Portugal, India, Belgium, Ireland, and Germany," she said.

She said Kansas State University - with its high-profile agriculture and veterinary medicine schools, may provide Jinyu with an ideal platform for partnerships.

"We fully expect partnerships to develop with Kansas State University faculty to promote real-world application and discovery.

"Additionally, there will be opportunities for Jinyu to build relationships with other animal health companies located in the region," said Ms Young.

Further Reading

Find out more information on various poultry diseases by clicking here.