Flock depopulation is underway on a broiler breeder farm infected with a severe strain of H5N2 avian flu at Chilliwack, B.C. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced Friday it’s begun the process of “humanely euthanizing” the farm’s surviving chickens. The same depopulation and disposal process will follow “in the coming days” at three other Fraser […] Read more
H5N2-infected broilers being destroyed in B.C.
Avian flu outbreak in B.C. is high-path H5N2
Tests have confirmed the avian influenza that’s killed thousands of birds at two British Columbia poultry farms is a “high-path” strain of H5N2. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency on Thursday confirmed the results from tests done at the National Centre for Foreign Animal Diseases in Winnipeg on samples from the two Fraser Valley farms — […] Read more
Two more B.C. poultry farms quarantined for avian flu
Two Fraser Valley poultry farms — both of which received birds from one of two farms quarantined this week with confirmed cases of H5 avian influenza — are now also under federal quarantine. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said Wednesday the two traceout farms were “determined to be at high risk” for avian flu. Birds […] Read more
Asian markets block Canadian poultry over bird flu
Reuters — Canada’s detection of avian influenza on two British Columbia farms has resulted in trade restrictions from several Asian markets, a government spokesman said Wednesday. South Korea has banned imports of Canadian chicks; Hong Kong and Taiwan have imposed trade restrictions on British Columbia poultry and poultry products; and Japan has imposed trade restrictions […] Read more
Ranchers have no beef with new antibiotic restrictions
Health Canada pushing to end of routine use of antibiotics important in human medicine because of resistance threat
Reading Time: 4 minutes Health Canada’s move to end the use of “medically important” antibiotics as growth promotants won’t hurt livestock production, say an Alberta producer and industry experts. “There won’t be as much restriction as we first thought,” said Camrose rancher and Canadian Cattle Association president Dave Solverson. “(But) there will be a little more consultation with veterinarians […] Read more
New York Hutterite Colony adopts leading-edge poultry housing
The ‘furnished housing’ style features nesting areas, scratch pads and perches, which allow the birds to engage in natural behaviour
Reading Time: 2 minutes Lethbridge egg farmer Levi Hofer has one eye on the present, the other on the future. Hofer is the manager of the layer flock at the New York Hutterite Colony, which is home to new state-of-the-art facilities called “furnished housing.” It’s a new style that provides a more natural open environment, with nesting areas, scratch […] Read more
Livestock trailers help emergency personnel respond to crisis, save lives
AFAC’s trailers installed in several counties throughout the province but another 10 are required
Reading Time: 2 minutes The Alberta Farm Animal Care’s livestock emergency response trailers are saving lives. First responders in Westlock County used a trailer when a truck transporting 52 beef cattle rolled in the area. The responders, who had never attended a livestock accident before, managed to save all but five of the cattle, thanks to the trailer and […] Read more