Red biosecurity remains for poultry

The province’s chief vet has lifted an order requiring regulated poultry producers to keep their birds indoors, but biosecurity remains critical due to ongoing threats.

The order was lifted June 17, six months after chief veterinary officer Dr. Theresa Burns signed the order to address the threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) during the fall migration season.

However, a memo to industry reminded producers that diligent biosecurity measures remain the first line of defence for poultry flocks against disease.

“It is essential that producers continue to maintain on-farm biosecurity at all times, even after the lifting of the order,” producers were reminded.

While there have been no cases of HPAI reported in BC since January 11, the CFIA alerted the poultry industry June 12 to the presence of velogenic Newcastle disease in two adjacent pigeon flocks in the Fraser Valley.

The discovery followed routine testing of flocks in May. Similar to HPAI, Newcastle disease is often the result of interactions with wild birds, with the incidence among waterfowl increasing since 1990.

The industry’s emergency operations centre (EOC) expects restrictions on the movement of domestic birds, however CFIA had not announced any as of June 17.

“We are working with the CFIA in efforts to reduce the impacts on BC producers, growers, and allied trades, particularly when compared to other disease responses,” a memo from the EOC says.

It notes that layers and breeders have “a mandatory and rigorous vaccination schedule that includes Newcastle Disease.”

With the ongoing disease threats and industry’s maintenance of red biosecurity protocols, EOC spokesperson Shawn Hall was unable to say whether or not the industry’s popular Poultry in Motion trailer would be making the rounds to events this summer.

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