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Avian flu wreaks havoc in Manitoba
Chantallya Louis
Posted yesterday at 6:53 p.m.
According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), since September 14, 289,000 poultry have had to be culled or have died due to avian flu in Manitoba.
There are 17 farms affected by the disease, also called H5N1, in the province.
According to the general manager of the Manitoba Chicken Farmers Association, Wayne Hiltz, the farms concerned are mainly found in the rural municipalities of Sainte-Anne and Bifrost-Riverton.
Other cases are also found in the rural municipalities of Cartier and Salaberry.
Impact on Manitoba Farmers
The 17 establishments affected by the avian flu must deal with significant losses in their income.
Wayne Hiltz explains that there are also psychological consequences for farmers.
These are not easy situations for farmers, you get attached to the birds and seeing what happens is hard , he says.
Wayne Hiltz adds that some farms must have restrictions imposed in the area where the cases are, even if they have not been affected by bird flu.
There are protocols to restrict the movement of poultry in these areas, it can be a challenge for farmers even if they are not affected by avian flu, they just have to be in the contaminated area , explains he.
Chicken and turkey farmers cannot therefore send their products to market. These farmers have no form of compensation from the CFIA.
Other poultry producers who are not affected by the situation, such as turkey farmer Guy Bouchard, are apprehensive about the future.
“ Is the bird flu coming back in the spring? Are we going to lose poultry again in Manitoba? »
— A quote from Guy Bouchard, turkey breeder
Guy Bouchard also wonders if the number of eggs will be sufficient to raise poultry next year.
Strict measures to counter the H5N1 flu
According to the CFIA, poultry farmers must put precautions in place to limit the spread of avian influenza in the province.
For example, farmers should regularly disinfect their establishment, poultry houses, shoes and anything that may have been contaminated with the virus.
Other biosecurity measures include isolating sick birds from the rest of the flock and limiting access to visitors.
Manitoba Turkey Farmers' Association executive director Helga Wheddon says turkey farmers are worried. However, they remain very vigilant and reinforce biosecurity measures .
The association claims to work very closely with the CFIAand the province to alleviate the situation.
A highly pathogenic virus
According to Professor Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt, professor at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Montreal, the current strain of avian flu is more contagious this year, leading to an upsurge in cases across the province and even throughout the country. 'North America.
The virus has been able to infect a large number of birds and species that have a very strong excretion capacity , he said in an interview with Radio-Canada.
An infected bird excretes 1,000 to 10,000 times more virus than in previous years, which means that the level of contamination in the environment is very high , continues Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt.
The professor calls on all bird owners to be vigilant.
He explains that the clinical signs differ according to the species, so it is necessary to report quickly to the authorities or the veterinarians when a bird shows unusual behavior.
To control this disease, it is not done with disinfection, but with communication , he insists.
However, Mr. Vaillancourt recalls that the rate of contamination in humans remains low in North America.
This virus has existed for about twenty years, it still has not gained the ability to be transmitted from human to human , launches Mr. Vaillancourt.
The last case of avian flu detected in Manitoba was on October 7.
https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1925774/volailles-manitoba-grippe-aviaire-h5n1
