Biosecurity Guide For Poultry And Bird Owners

This guide was designed to provide useful information on biosecurity for poultry and bird owners. The United States works very hard to prevent infectious poultry diseases such as highly pathogenic avian influenza and exotic Newcastle disease from being introduced into the country. To accomplish this, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires that all imported birds (poultry, pet birds, birds exhibited at zoos, and ratites), except those from Canada, be quarantined and tested for the viruses that cause these two diseases before entering the country. USDA works cooperatively with State animal health officials and the poultry industry to look for disease in breeding flocks, in backyard poultry, and at live bird markets, livestock auctions, poultry dealer locations, and small bird sales, fairs, and shows. In addition to international import restrictions, USDA and State veterinarians specifically trained to diagnose foreign animal diseases regularly conduct field investigations of suspicious disease conditions. University personnel, State animal health officials, USDA-accredited veterinarians, and members of industry all help in this surveillance work. Since 2004, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has been conducting an extensive outreach and education program called Biosecurity For Birds. The program reaches out to backyard poultry producers and pet bird owners to educate them about the signs of infectious poultry diseases, the need to practice biosecurity, and the importance of reporting sick or dead birds. In fact, APHIS has a toll-free number (1-866-536-7593) for bird owners to report such cases. This Biosecurity Guide is part of our outreach program, and I encourage you to look at the other materials we have developed, including excellent videos on practicing biosecurity that are available on our YouTube site. Printed and PDF materials are free and can be found on our Web site at http: //healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov

Many people enjoy raising poultry but do not have the space for a home flock. One solution is a community farm where many people can work together to raise their poultry or other animals. Learn about special health and safety issues that may arise.

Live poultry markets are an important part of the poultry supply chain in many parts of the world. However, the emergence of avian influenza viruses that can cause severe disease in humans which results from working in or visiting contaminated markets means that some long-standing practices are no longer acceptable. This guide has been produced for live poultry market managers and provides practical options for improving the hygiene and biosecurity of their markets. The guide is structured as a series of questions based on real-life situations and problems. It also contains information on appropriate ways to decontaminate markets and the equipment and vehicles that enter markets. It does not provide a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution for markets given that these vary from large wholesale markets with a daily throughput of tens of thousands of poultry to small roadside or village markets that operate once or twice per week. Instead, this guide offers a menu of options that can be used to find cost-effective solutions for any type of market. A shift is already occurring away from live bird sales to centralized slaughter, but while live poultry markets continue to operate it is imperative that those that remain are managed in a way that reduces the risk of infection of poultry and humans with avian influenza viruses. This guide will help market managers to achieve this goal.

There is no formal definition of the word Biosecurity, but it has become the accepted term used to describe the measures needed to protect against the introduction and spread of disease. The Standard forms the basis of a comprehensive voluntary program designed to provide applicable guidance for owners or managers in all the poultry sectors in Canada. It has been developed as a tool for all people and businesses handling and keeping poultry, including large-scale supply-managed producers, backyard flock owners and other domestic bird keepers.

A comprehensive review of zoonoses and public health for the exotic animal practitioner! The issue will cover: zoonoses and preventive medicine practices, rabies, followed by specific, individual chapters on zoonoses associated with invertebrates, fish, reptiles and amphibians, common pet birds, backyard flocks, wild birds, rabbits and rodents, pocket pets, felids & procyonids, and primates and monkeys.