# Gov't To Kill Flocks That Show Bird Flu Signs



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

http://www.nbc30.com/health/8825808/detail.html

Gov't To Kill Flocks That Show Bird Flu Signs
Quick Detection, Eradication Planned
POSTED: 11:59 am EDT April 19, 2006
UPDATED: 1:40 pm EDT April 19, 2006

WASHINGTON -- If deadly bird flu shows up in U.S. chickens or 
turkeys, the government will kill off any flocks suspected of having 
the virus even before tests are completed, officials said Wednesday.

At greater risk are free-ranging chickens and small, backyard 
flocks - as many as 60,000 in Los Angeles alone.

If bird flu arrives, "quick detection will be key to quickly 
containing it and eradicating it," said Ron DeHaven, head of the 
Agriculture Department's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Most of America's chickens come from big commercial farms that keep 
birds indoors and are well-protected against the spread of disease. 
Yet there are many flocks in people's back yards - officials are 
unsure how many - and free-range flocks that are outdoors and could 
mix with wild birds or their droppings. 

Officials encourage those producers to bring flocks inside and watch 
for signs of flu -- dead birds; lack of appetite; purple wattles, 
combs and legs; coughing or sneezing; diarrhea -- and report them 
immediately to state or federal authorities.

"We can't afford for this virus to be smoldering six months before 
we find it," DeHaven said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Owners will want to report sick birds because they will be paid fair 
market value for destroyed flocks, DeHaven said. Stopping the spread 
of bird flu has been more difficult in countries that can't afford 
to compensate farmers, he added.

The U.S. has a poultry industry worth more than $29 billion that 
produces more than 9 billion chickens and 250 million turkeys a 
year, more than any other country.

To target owners of small flocks, the Agriculture Department has an 
outreach campaign that uses Spanish and Vietnamese as well as 
English in materials and ads.

The virulent strain of bird flu spreading through Asia, Europe and 
Africa has killed 110 people, and more than 200 million birds have 
died from the disease or been slaughtered in efforts to contain it. 
Scientists fear it could mutate into a form that spreads easily 
among people, sparking a worldwide epidemic.

Authorities say it's likely to arrive in the United States this 
year. The government is testing more wild birds than usual, as many 
as 100,000 in Alaska and other migratory pathways. Chicken and 
turkey companies are testing nearly every flock for the virus.

"If the virus does arrive in the U.S., we think we'll find it 
quickly," he said. "We don't think that it would ever make it into 
the food chain."

Regardless, poultry is safe to eat if people cook it to 165 degrees 
and follow basic kitchen safety rules, DeHaven said.

If the virus turns up in commercial chickens or turkeys, the 
government plans to quarantine the farm, restrict bird movements 
within about two miles and boost testing within about six miles.

If screening tests suggest a potentially virulent flu virus is 
present, and the birds show signs of flu, they'll be killed 
immediately, even before more detailed testing is finished, DeHaven 
said. Flocks would be confined and killed with carbon dioxide gas, 
essentially putting them to sleep, DeHaven said. Authorities refer 
to this as "depopulation."

Disposal of dead birds is tricky, because they still may carry the 
virus. In the past, large numbers of birds have been buried, put in 
landfills or incinerated, but those things can be expensive and 
cause bureaucratic hassles.

Now, the industry intends to compost the carcasses inside houses 
where birds are killed.

To be composted, carcasses are layered with mulch, hosed down and 
left alone, inside, for four to six weeks, said Richard Lobb, 
spokesman for the National Chicken Council, an industry group. 
Intense heat generated by composting is more than enough to kill the 
virus, Lobb said.

The government has vaccines to protect poultry from the virus but is 
reluctant to use them because vaccinated birds can still spread the 
virus without appearing sick, said John Clifford, the department's 
chief veterinarian. Vaccines could be used in flocks surrounding the 
area of an outbreak, he said.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Terry, I notice that they aren't discussing killing flocks of wild birds, nor are they discussing folks that house birds as pets out of doors. Is there any info on what will become of other birds in an area where the virus is detected/suspected? And will indoor pets be overlooked?

fp


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi FP,

Sorry to say that I don't know the answers to your questions. I suspect it will be handled very much like the Exotic Newcastle epidemic where birds that could possibly have become infected will be killed without testing for the virus first. With END, that was pretty much every bird within a 1 mile radius of a known case. This article stated a two mile area with an additional six mile area where bird movement would be restricted and additional testing done. It didn't say anything about killing birds within the radius, but that doesn't mean it won't happen.

I think any of us with pet/backyard birds =have= to be very diligent with biosecurity and be able to prove/show that our birds were/are either kept completely inside or are enclosed in such a manner outside that they couldn't have been exposed to wild birds or their feces that may carry the virus.

Terry


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