Poultry farmers in British Columbia are under pressure to protect their flocks as a highly contagious strain of bird flu spreads over North America.
Ray Nichol, a spokesman for the BC Poultry Association’s Emergency Operations Center, said he would use the lessons learned to prevent infections after two severe outbreaks in 2004 that forced them to kill millions of birds.
The H5N1 strain of bird flu is highly pathogenic and can cause serious illness and death in birds, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.
Nickel, a commercial poultry farm in Abbotsford and a member of the board for chicken marketing in British Columbia, said farmers are worried after a case of bird flu was confirmed last week on a farm in North Okanagan.
“It’s so virulent and there is some concern for our animals because the impact is so serious,” he said. “I sympathize with my peers in other provinces who are experiencing it in a more significant way than we are at the moment, but it causes us fear that is simply not very comfortable.”
Outbreaks of the same strain have been found in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said last week that it was an unprecedented year worldwide for bird flu. She said she believed migratory birds were responsible for the outbreaks and expected more cases as flocks continued to fly north during the summer.
Previous outbreaks in BC and elsewhere in Canada have killed millions of birds. The most serious outbreak was in 2004 in the Fraser Valley, where the H7N3 strain spread to 42 commercial farms and 11 backyard chicken coops, prompting federal officials to order the extermination of some 17 million birds.
Nickel said BC’s operations are uniquely equipped to respond to potential outbreaks because of their past experience.
“We know what it looks like. The good part is that you know what to expect, but on the other hand, no one wants to go through that. “
The British Columbia Egg Marketing Board said there were 578 poultry farms in the province, and about 80 per cent of them were in the Fraser Valley, which is on the Pacific Road, a major bird migration route.
As the BC industry is concentrated in the Fraser Valley, Nicole said farmers need to take more responsibility to prevent the spread of the flu.
Avian influenza is spread by contact with an infected bird or its feces or nasal secretions. Poultry that go outside are the most endangered because they can come into direct contact with infected wild birds or their feces. People can also inadvertently carry the infection to the barn of their shoes or clothes.
Nickel said biosecurity and emergency management measures introduced after the 2004 epidemic helped control the spread of the virus in 2009 and 2014. Each outbreak has allowed the province and its farmers to improve and refine their response, he said.
The association has an emergency response team that works using an incident command structure similar to the fire and police services, which allows the team to respond quickly when flu is detected, he said. The protocols include strict procedures around locked gates, changing clothes and shoes, and monitoring entrances and exits.
“This is a very regulated procedure that is taking place,” he said. “British Columbia is the only province to have a mandatory biosecurity program in the province. Everyone across the country has the biosecurity measures they have put in place, but since 2004 BC has developed a mandatory provincial one that is implemented by the marketing board. “
When Agriculture Minister Lana Pofam announced the discovery of bird flu at Okanagan Farm last week, she said the Canadian Food Inspection Agency was leading the outbreak response, which included testing, mapping, monitoring and disposing of animals.
“All poultry producers, including backyard poultry owners, are advised to increase their biosecurity practices and be vigilant and watch for signs of avian influenza in their flocks,” she said.
BC’s deputy chief veterinarian has also issued an order requiring all commercial poultry flocks in the province with more than 100 birds to be relocated indoors by the end of spring migration in May, the agriculture ministry said.
The order says the H5N1 bird flu strain was found in wild birds near the Vancouver subway earlier this year, and as waterfowl are considered a major source of the virus, steps must be taken to limit their exposure to commercial poultry.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada said the food industry was making adjustments to keep supplies of poultry and eggs in the face of a large outbreak.
The CFIA said no human cases have been found in Canada and the disease is not considered a significant health concern for healthy people who are not in regular contact with infected birds.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on April 20, 2022.
This story was created with the financial support of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
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