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AVIAN FLU


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I posted elsewhere, earlier, that now is the time for nerves of steel, because in my opinion there is likely to be a lot of 'scares' between now and race time. Personally, I'm pretty pleased that those 'scares' are happening now, kind of early-on rather than the months of March, April which DEFRA had said were the high risk months. Why? Simply because it gives the authorities a chance to get the virus sorted sooner rather than later, and the longer 'clear spell' between the last outbreak and racing, the better.

 

Couldn't agree more with Mick. If things do go belly-up on mainland Europe, I don't want MY birds anywhere near there either.

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has anyone thought about clashing, if half the uk are going to fly north and half fly south, ?????????

 

Bubbling nicely in the background, and not before time, I feel. Raised the subject in BHW letters page autumn and asked that all organisations should take a long look at our race methods during the close season. The Confed are doing just that (see BHW 10th Feb, p82) and as promised, re-published the race map for one Saturday's racing in August 2003, in this week's mag, p65. Worth a look - appalling when you add wind & rain to the equation ... and supports my argument that WE are the causes of the big losses, not mobile phones or sun spots or all the other exotic excuses we would like to shift the blame onto.

 

Big change is that when the map was originally published in 2004, RPRA called for a meeting of all Orgs and not one attended - in 2006 they're all there, including Ireland.

 

Hope that in 2006, we will try one route Saturday, and the other Sunday; swap about 2007 and so on.

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The biggest problem there is going to be if we are confined to racing in this country is overloaded race points. This is where a lot of clashing occurs not so much when birds are in full flight.  Pigeons seem to clear immediately only to return 10 mins later to clash into newly liberated birds, this will be a major problem in the Midland lib sites when organisations will be racing in opposite directions, covoyers will have to ensure that birds have fully cleared the area before liberating pigeons flying in a different direction.

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Avian Flu info provided by: Dr.  Paul G. Miller PhD, DVM & GM RPRA

 

 

 

Note that Dr Miller is a member of the email round-robin 'world pigeon vets' team which collated all the scientific reference work on avian flu and pigeons. This forum, via my email address, is on that round-robin, and the work was posted on this forum by me as the vets requested, in November 2005 . .

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Vets are testing nine dead swans for signs of infection, after reports from the public.

 

Two each were from Bury St Edmunds, Winchester and Preston, while individual birds were found in Shrewsbury, Thirsk and Hertfordshire.

 

A British Veterinary Association spokeswoman said people were right to report any dead birds they come across.

 

 

from bbc website

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AVIAN INFLUENZA UPDATE – MONDAY 20TH FEBRUARY 2006

 

 

 

DEFRA has continually stated that the present AI threat is a ‘dynamic one’, i.e. it is one that can change and change quickly.  Nothing was more apparent as the events over the weekend unfolded with new AI outbreaks recorded and confirmed in France and other parts of Europe.  DEFRA ministers have advised the UK poultry keepers to remain vigilant and don’t panic at this stage.  Unlike some other western European countries they have not insisted on a lock in of poultry and other domestic birds.

 

 

 

I think it is worth recapping one or 2 points about avian influenza.  Firstly the research that was collated by pigeon vets and used to encourage DEFRA to change their rigid stance on racing pigeon events is quite clear.  Dr Pascal Lanneau has clearly stated that

 

 

 

“Although the pigeons are very resistant to the Low Pathogenic Avian Influenza (LPAI), there is a chance that they become infected with the High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI, H5N1); this is confirmed by recent research. This means that we have to be careful in this matter concerning the outbreak of the AI. Pigeons don’t play a very important role in the transmission of the AI, but not important doesn’t mean that they don’t play a role at all”.  

 

 

 

In a nutshell then, the AI that is currently n France is the HPAI variant and could be caught by racing pigeons.  If the disease does arrive in the UK there will be a DEFRA order for all poultry and domestic bird keepers to contain their birds.  This will mean, as in France at present, no flying out and of course no racing.  So as not to dampen all your hopes Ben Bradshaw did say yesterday on radio that restrictions would be put in place 3kms around any infected location and security measures would take place.  This did happen last August when a bout of Newcastle Disease was found in Surrey at a pheasant farm.  The farm was closed, the birds were destroyed, the outbreak was contained and within a few weeks the all clear was given.  Most people didn’t even know that this outbreak had occurred.  I would suggest that for the time being continental racing looks very unlikely but there is no reason at this juncture to think that we will not be able to race within the UK.  Obviously this will depend on ‘the dynamic situation’.

 

 

 

It is worth I think reminding ourselves of the biosecurity measures that will help keep AI away from your loft :

 

 

 

• Keep bird feed and any standing drinking water free from contamination by wild birds and other

 

animals. This might mean feeding and watering undercover.

 

Look out for signs of disease. Visit the avian influenza homepage at www.defra.gov.uk for disease facts.

 

• Make sure your premises are tidy and clean. Spilled feed, litter and standing water attract wild

 

birds and vermin.

 

• Keep your birds separate from wild birds, waterfowl, pets and other animals. Control vermin.

 

• Keep visitors and their vehicles away from your birds as far as possible. If they must have access,

 

make sure vehicles and equipment are clean.

 

• Make sure your clothes, footwear and hands are clean, before and after contact with birds. Any

 

essential visitors should do the same.

 

• Avoid sharing equipment. If you do have to share, make sure it is cleansed and disinfected before

 

and after use.

 

• Buy feed from a mill or supplier that operates in accordance with Defra and Agricultural Industries

 

Confederation Codes of Practice. Supply clean, fresh drinking water.

 

• Be vigilant when purchasing new stock. Use reputable sources. Isolate new birds and birds you

 

have taken off your premises (for example, to a show).

 

• If you suspect disease, act quickly and consult your vet. Avian influenza and Newcastle disease are

 

notifiable diseases and must be reported to your local Divisional Veterinary Manager.  

 

 

 

Peter Bryant

 

General Manager

 

 

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