Tennessee Dept of Ag confirms case of AI

[Susan Mouw]

Reported this morning (Sunday), the Tennessee Dept of Ag has confirmed a case of high-path AI in a commercial flock in Tennessee.

I'll post more links/info here, as more is revealed.

http://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/tennessee/2017/03/05/avian-flu-detected-lincoln-county-chickens/98778246/

[Birdcrazy]

I was just reading a couple of articles this evening on the outbreak of AI in TN. I sure hope this does not develop into the fiasco we had in 2015. Thanks Susan for the info and I will be waiting for further info on the subject. Hopefully new news will be good news.

[Jen Mitchell]

That is just south of us... way too close for comfort...

[Birdcrazy]

That is just south of us... way too close for comfort...

Keep out of the 6 mile radius! It is sure funny as in 2015, the problem seems to arise in the big commercial flocks. We back yard breeders feel the brunt with quarantines, cancelation of shows, restricted sale of birds at swap meets etc.

[Don]

Beware the State Ag Enforcers as best you can.  Gordon is right, they have no regard to the hobby flock owner.  The commercial farmer is reimbursed for their flocks.  I am not saying that they get paid for all of their costs.  I am sure that they will not be allowed to keep poultry on their farm for some time frame. But at least they are not left empty handed like we would be if they came looking to depopulate our flock. 

I wonder if this is going to change Knoxsville's Testing Regs for their show?

Found this just a bit ago,  Tenn Valley Poultry Club   ABA National 2018?
  A note from the President:
Hello folks .. we have had a AI scare as you all have seen . I have received a lot of calls . Just wanting to let you know both shows are still on as planned and the club is moving on and is just fine . We hope to see all of you in April and in December for the ABA national . If you have any questions or need to schedule a meet please contact me . Thank You and have a great day.
Eddie "cotton" Dunlap

[Jen Mitchell]

Thanks, Gordon and Don... no worries, am staying well out of that area... and yes, trying to stay under the radar with Ag as much as possible... was putting in for APA membership and wanted to push NPIP, but think I will wait on the NPIP part... :/

[Birdcrazy]

I see this morning that another county in Tennessee had an outbreak of AI. Here again it was a large commercial flock. I feel for those small backyard breeders who fall in the restricted area for inspection. I just hope that this is the last of the AI scare for 2017. Hang in there Ameraucana breeders that fall in this group, the rest of the ABC members are pulling for you. We hope this is just a temporary inconvenience.

[Susan Mouw]

As the weather warms up, the AI scare will melt away.  The AI virus cannot survive in warm temperatures. 

But, who knows what will happen this fall when it starts to cool down?  I know I'll sure be watching this...

Just had my semi-annual AI test for every bird on the place and, thankfully, all a pass.  Of course, if it wasn't a pass, I'm sure I would have noticed birds dropping over long before.

[Don]

I hope that it melts away and does not show it's troubled head again for sure.  This was another farm from the same Producer company?

I think all of us would know if we have the HPAI for sure and that seems to be the one that's always is in the news. I have questions though if with the Show flocks they are looking for HPAI or Any Strain or any antibodies to the strains.  I Don't Trust the commercial industry in that regard and I feel like the State and USAGs are only concerned about that aspect.  I know that the industry does not like the show hobby, they claim that we cross state lines and carry issues which Might cause them issues.  IMO, if our birds get in the way, they will be gone in the blink of an eye.  If you read their action plans, they have demographics on anyone that has poultry within a distance of a flock with any issues.   They have options to quarantine or depopulate, their choice. 

[Don]

Gordon, where was the other infection found, I can't find it in my search engine?  was the original flock breeders, egg layers.....? 

I also had not heard of the following related news, from Reuters 4 days ago,

"In recent months, different strains of bird flu have been confirmed across Asia and in Europe. Authorities have culled millions of birds in affected areas to control the outbreaks.

France, which has the largest poultry flock in the European Union, has reported outbreaks of the highly contagious H5N8 bird flu virus. In South Korea, the rapid spread of the H5N6 strain of the virus has led to the country's worst-ever outbreak of bird flu."

[Jen Mitchell]

http://files.constantcontact.com/329c71ce201/a2e94688-8d4d-4e47-9f6d-59ba902be562.pdf

This one is a different, less virulent strain from what they say... completely different company and stock sources... unfortunately even closer to us... this is in the next county over from us...

[Don]

Thank you Rayvnscroft for the information.  So even with the less pathenogenic infection they depopulated the farm.  This to me is what I feared.   So rather than use this strain to possibly develop a vaccine for commercial flocks.......

Quote from the TN Ag report in the above link,

The primary difference between LPAI and HPAI is mortality rate. A slight change to the viral
structure can make a virus deadly. Avian influenza virus strains often occur naturally in wild
migratory birds without causing illness in those birds. With LPAI, domesticated chickens and
turkeys may show little or no signs of illness. However, HPAI is often fatal for domesticated
poultry.

[Jen Mitchell]

Very welcome, Don... wish it was good news to pass around instead of what it is...

What's not making sense to me is, if it's being passed by wildlife/migratory birds, then why is it only commercial flocks that it's been found in so far? Most of those have extremely strict biosecurity and housing requirements, and most from what I understand also don't allow employees to have their own flocks at home too... so how are they getting infected yet not one backyard flock, within or outside the quarantine areas has tested positive?

I dunno, but something just seems off to me...

[Birdcrazy]

Don, The first outbreak was found in Lincoln County Tenn. The second outbreak was found in Giles County Tenn. Here is the address of the article that I saw on the second outbreak. http://www.tennessee.gov/agriculture/news/49066

[Don]

Thanks Gordon.   I am finally beginning to see some reports on Google search today.

Jen, It seems to me that with the waterfowl carrying this infection and unharmed, we have to expect that they will always be carriers.  They can infect flocks near their migration flyways.  But they can also cross infect other birds during their migration movements.  I've heard folks concerned about their runs being uncovered thinking that birds flying over would be the problem.  But have you ever tried to keep sparrows out of your poultry pens?  I know its not that simple, but I seems to me that the commercial industry needs to develop a defense vaccine or breeding a resistant strain of poultry.  It has to be cheaper in the long run rather than killing flocks all around the world that become infected.  It looks like we are in this for the long run.