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Source: https://www.castanet.net/news/Nelson...ntral-Kootenay
Avian influenza detected on ostrich farm in Central Kootenay
Bird flu near Edgewood
Cindy White - Jan 4, 2025 / 12:41 pm | Story: 525827
Avian influenza has been detected on a farm near the Central Kootenay community of Edgewood.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has set up a non-commercial primary control infection zone and a non-commercial exclusion zone around the Universal Ostrich farm on Langille Road, just off Highway 6, north of Edgewood and west of the Needles Ferry crossing.
According to the CFIA, highly pathogenic avian influenza was detected on the farm on Dec. 31, 2024.
A person who lives in the area told Castanet that they saw a Government of Canada vehicle at the Universal Ostrich farm on Monday. They said they saw several dead birds on the property in recent days.
Esper Esperson, the son of one of the owners, posted on an Edgewood Facebook group confirming that the farm has tested positive for avian influenza.
In the post, Esperson said they are working closely with the CFIA and following all protocols and guidelines laid out by the federal agency. He notes that the property is under quarantine and asks the public not to come to the farm without contacting the owners or himself in advance...Comment
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Translation Google
400 Ostriches to be Culled Due to Bird Flu
Radio-Canada
Posted yesterday at 3:27 PM CST
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has ordered the culling of 400 ostriches from a farm in the Kootenays, British Columbia, after at least two birds died of avian influenza on the farm.
This is the first time in Canada that cases of avian flu have been reported in a herd of ostriches.
The owners of Universal Farm, located in Edgewood, 200 km east of Kelowna, have until February 1 to slaughter their animals. However, they are asking for an exception to the ACIA.
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Posted: Jan 31, 2025 8:00 AM CST | Last Updated: 2 hours ago
Andrew Kurjata · CBC News ·
A flock of B.C. ostriches ordered killed after avian flu was detected on their farm have been granted a stay of execution by a Federal Court judge.
In a ruling shared Friday afternoon, Justice Michael Battista said that the Feb. 1 deadline for the birds to be killed should be suspended until after a hearing on the original order from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) can be reviewed by the courts. ...
The owners of an ostrich farm in the Kootenays have won a court injunction against the cull of hundreds of their birds.
... some ostriches on the farm have indeed died of avian flu — 69 in total — they are just a small percentage of the overall flock.
"We're at herd immunity," she argued, saying there have been no new deaths since Jan. 14, and telling CBC News that of the birds who are still alive, none are exhibiting symptoms of the illness. ...
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Translation Google
Ostrich herd scheduled for culling gets reprieve
Radio-Canada
Posted yesterday at 7:45 PM CST
A Federal Court judge has stayed an order to cull a flock of ostriches that had been hit by bird flu while the Canadian Food Inspection Agency reviews its decision. The approximately 400 birds were to be culled this Saturday.
In his ruling, Judge Michael Battista wrote that he was persuaded by the ranchers' arguments that the farm would suffer irreparable harm .
He also questioned the need for a cull in the first place, which will be the subject of a future court decision.
"We're going to make changes ," Pasitney promised before hugging her mother, who owns the farm, when the decision was announced.
At this farm in Edgewood, 175 kilometres west of Kelowna, 69 ostriches have died from bird flu in recent months. Katie Pasitney, however, believes the Universal Ostrich herd has reached a point of herd immunity .
The ostriches were to be slaughtered on February 1st.
Experts contacted by CBC /Radio-Canada, however, point out that there is little information to confirm whether ostriches can develop immunity to bird flu.
Since 2022, 14 million birds, including 9 million in British Columbia, have died or been culled due to avian influenza.
Universal Ostrich 's attorney , Michael Carter, said the courts and the ACIA should take into account the unique circumstances of ostrich farming, including its remoteness and its difference from poultry farming where most culling has taken place to date.
He said that the ACIA had other options such as quarantine or continuous monitoring rather than the agency's automatic culling .
The birds are in good health according to the breeder
No deaths have been reported since January 14 and the birds still in the flock have no symptoms, according to Katie Pasitney, who points out that those that died were young and therefore more fragile.
She also believes the risk of virus transmission is limited since the farm does not sell its animals for meat.
On December 31, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency ordered the herd to be slaughtered on February 1, this Saturday. An order perceived by the owners of the farm and their supporters as an example of government interference.
An ostrich can live up to 30 or 40 years and Universal Ostrich breeders explain that they have a bond of attachment with their birds.
On January 27, the ACIA issued a press release in which it acknowledges the emotional burden that the death of animals can represent while recalling that her job was to minimize the risk of spreading the virus, including potentially to humans.
A support group has been formed
Animal rights group Animal Justice has come out in support of Universal Ostrich , arguing that authorities should instead focus on the living conditions of poultry in large breeding facilities.
Other groups and individuals who have previously campaigned against public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have joined the movement because farmers insist that ostriches have natural antibodies that should be studied to help treat humans .
With information from Sarah Penton, Yvette Brend, Brady Strachan and Akshay Kulkarni
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CFIA's Response to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) on British Columbia Ostrich Farm
January 27, 2025
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Canada's national poultry sectors have been responding to detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Canada since December 2021. The scale of the current worldwide HPAI outbreak is unprecedented and continues to have significant impacts on Canada's poultry industry. The CFIA acknowledges that this is a challenging situation for everyone involved, including animal owners, producers, animal health professionals, and communities across the country.
The CFIA has acted to minimize the risk of the virus spreading within Canadian flocks and to other animals. All avian influenza viruses, particularly H5 and H7 viruses, have the potential to infect mammals including humans. Our disease response has aimed to protect public and animal health, minimize impacts on the domestic poultry industry, and the Canadian economy. This supports Canadian families and poultry farmers whose livelihoods depend on maintaining international market access.
In domestic poultry, including ostriches, this is accomplished through timely depopulation of domestic birds on infected premises, implementing strong biosecurity measures, and properly disposing of carcasses from birds exposed to the disease. These disease control measures are consistent with the CFIA's mandate under the Health of Animals Act and align with World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) guidelines.
Depopulation can be a distressing outcome for an animal owner. When a depopulation is necessary, the CFIA provides an opportunity for all poultry farmers to develop the most appropriate plan based for their flock and facilities. CFIA veterinarians and inspectors work with poultry farmers to see that depopulation is completed humanely using internationally accepted methods. We also provide guidance to producers throughout the process of depopulation, disposal, and cleaning and disinfection, so they can resume their operations as quickly as possible. Most infected premises start the depopulation process within days of confirmed cases of HPAI.
When depopulation is completed, producers may be awarded compensation in accordance with the Health of Animals Act and under the Compensation for Destroyed Animals and Things Regulations. Compensation is based on the fair market value of the animals. For ostriches, compensation of up to $3000 per bird may be awarded when there is supporting documentation. While compensation may not offset the emotional toll of depopulation, it can provide resources to recover and reestablish operations.
The CFIA takes the responsibility to protect the health of animals and Canadians extremely seriously as we conduct these necessary disease control measures to protect public health and minimize the economic impact on Canada's poultry industry. Date modified: 2025-01-27
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