Birds are now to be culled from a British Columbia ostrich operation that sought to bypass standard federal practice in on-farm outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza and has been denied an appeal at Canada’s highest court.
B.C. ostriches now to be culled after ruling: CFIA
Farm has been at the centre of protests since CFIA first ordered the cull of over 300 birds
High-path avian flu pops back up in Saskatchewan, Alberta
Canada keeps sights on 'country-level freedom' from virus
Even after 21 months of highly pathogenic avian influenza cases in Canada — including three new cases in domestic birds so far this month — Canada’s “stamping out” policy for the virus remains in effect. Canada’s active caseload of the virus now comes down to just eight of the 325 premises affected since December 2021. […] Read more
Animal health body backs bird flu vaccination to avoid pandemic
Vaccination should focus on free-range birds, WOAH chief says
Paris | Reuters — Governments should consider vaccinating poultry against bird flu, which has killed hundreds of millions of birds and infected mammals worldwide, to prevent the virus from turning into a new pandemic, the head of the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) said. The severity of the current outbreak of avian influenza, commonly […] Read more
Saskatchewan, Ontario ban birds at events
Bans back on as fall migratory season underway, avian flu cases stack up
At least two provinces now have bans in place on birds being brought to fall ag fairs and other such events, as cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza pick up again in Canada’s domestic birds. Ontario — which had such a ban in place this spring — reinstated it effective Sept. 23 through to Oct. […] Read more
Spring planting work can kick up avian flu, feather sector warns
Three more poultry outbreaks confirmed in Canada so far this week
Spring planting work could soon start to bring unintended gifts left by wild birds from fields into farmyards, Ontario’s poultry and egg sectors warn, as more cases of avian flu are confirmed at poultry farms across the country. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Thursday reported three additional outbreaks of H5 avian influenza in commercial […] Read more
Ontario bans birds at events as avian flu spreads
Infected snow goose found in western Saskatchewan; two backyard flocks in Montana also confirmed infected
Up against several outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian flu in commercial poultry flocks, Ontario is temporarily banning birds from appearing at shows and other such events. Provincial Agriculture Minister Lisa Thompson on Friday announced a ministerial order taking effect just after midnight Saturday (April 9), in which “the movement to and participation of birds in […] Read more
No trade bans expected from Nova Scotia bird flu findings
High-path H5N1 a 'non-poultry detection'
A new outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a backyard flock in central Nova Scotia isn’t expected to affect international trade in Canada’s feather sectors. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on Tuesday confirmed a high-path H5N1 strain affecting birds on the property, describing it Thursday as a “non-poultry detection” among animals not produced […] Read more
No bans expected from Newfoundland avian flu outbreak
High-path H5N1 kills 360 birds on 'non-poultry' farm
Neither federal nor international animal health officials expect to see import bans imposed on Canadian poultry coming out of an avian flu outbreak at a farm on Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Wednesday reported a confirmed outbreak of a highly-pathogenic (‘high-path’) strain of H5N1 avian influenza at an exhibition farm in […] Read more
A bird’s-eye view of majestic raptors
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you’re on the internet and looking around for something to interest the kids, why not check out Alberta Conservation Association’s ferruginous hawk cam? The ferruginous hawks, which live on nesting platforms in the Milk River area, have been on camera since 2018 and viewers have seen some cool things, such as parents feeding the […] Read more
Risk of human spread of H5N8 bird flu deemed low
Seven people infected but asymptomatic, WHO says
Geneva | Reuters — The risk of human-to-human spread of the H5N8 strain of bird flu appears low after it was identified for the first time worldwide in farm workers in Russia, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. A separate influenza strain, H1N1, that emerged from pigs and spread rapidly worldwide among humans […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
