Thursday, April 20, 2006
flocks showing signs of bird flu will be killed
WASHINGTON - Free-ranging chickens and small, backyard flocks will be at the greatest risk if deadly bird flu reaches the United States, officials said Wednesday.
They also said they would begin killing off flocks large or small if they are suspected of having the virus - even before tests are completed.
Authorities say bird flu is likely to arrive in the United States this year.
If and when it does, “quick detection will be key to quickly containing it and eradicating it,” Ron DeHaven said in an interview with The Associated Press. He is 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 - as many as 60,000 in Los Angeles alone - as well as 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.
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.
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.