Ducks euthanized at Niagara Region farm with avian flu outbreak

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

by SUSAN MANN

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is continuing its investigation into low pathogenic avian influenza on a St. Catharines-area commercial duck farm, and so far has found just one site with the virus.

On July 10, The Agency placed the duck farm, confirmed to have H5N2 avian influenza, and other poultry farms within a three-kilometre radius under quarantine. High-risk contact premises outside the three-kilometre zone are also under quarantine.

The 14,000 ducks on the farm were euthanized last week and are now being composted.

The quarantine means movement licenses are needed for farmers to move all poultry products, equipment, bedding and litter on and off their farms, according to an update from the Feather Board Command Centre posted on the Chicken Farmers of Ontario website. The centre is the disease management organization for the poultry industry and its members include Chicken Farmers of Ontario, Turkey Farmers of Ontario, Egg Farmers of Ontario and the Ontario Broiler Hatching Egg and Chick Commission.

For other farms outside the three-kilometre avian influenza control zone, they’re advised to place heightened biosecurity protocols on their operations.

Ingrid DeVisser, a turkey farmer and centre chair, says the centre has helped the CFIA map the farms in the area of the duck farm and assisted in calling the producers and small flock growers in the area “to make them aware.” Centre representatives also updated industry participants and are providing regular updates.

For the first time, the centre held a conference call with all poultry producers within a 10-kilometre radius around the farm confirmed to have the virus “to make them aware of what was going on and exactly what they should be doing in terms of heightened biosecurity,” she says.

“There’s always a little bit of unease when it’s close to you,” DeVisser says.  

Currently the centre’s representatives are helping farmers in the quarantine zone complete their movement permits “and just assisting CFIA in any way that we can.”

DeVisser says the low pathogenic avian influenza was found on the duck farm “through routine testing for export. There was no mortality or morbidity in the birds.”

Low pathogenic avian influenza moves much slower and isn’t as virulent as the high pathogenic version of the virus so “it’s much easier to contain,” she adds.

The next step in the process for the duck farm is once CFIA officials confirm the virus has been killed, the farmer must clean and disinfect the premises and leave them empty for 21 days after that. The quarantine stays in place until CFIA lifts it.

DeVisser says the duck industry is represented on the feather board command centre’s industry advisory group that meets twice a year to discuss emergency response. “We have contact with them and connections.” BF