08/31/06 Voluntary Bird Inventory

Voluntary bird inventory. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture. The number and location of so-called backyard birds and their owners in Oregon is unknown to state officials. But a voluntary online inventory is asking those poultry owners to come forward. As surveillance of both domestic and wild birds continues for avian influenza, the Oregon Department of Agriculture is embarking on an outreach effort, according to State Veterinarian Dr. Don Hansen, that has a specific goal. HANSEN: Encourage people who have non-commercial flocks to let us know where they live, where their flocks are, so that in the event of an infection, we in the department have an idea where flocks are located and how we can get in touch with them. Hansen emphasizes that the inventory is voluntary and information gathered will be very specific. HANSEN: It`s not going to be used by the Oregon Department of Agriculture in any other way except in the potential for warning people and giving people information about avian influenza. Contact information will be collected online at ODA`s Web site and over the phone, and is just part of preparing for any possibility that the highly pathogenic Asian strain of avian influenza might arrive in Oregon. Hansen explains the latest outreach effort as part of preparation for any detection of avian influenza in Oregon. It involves a voluntary inventory of backyard bird flocks: HANSEN: We`re developing a list of the locations for all the non-commercial domestic bird flocks in the state- as many as we can find. Hansen says ODA is trying to develop a list of locations of non-commercial domestic poultry throughout the state, also known as backyard birds, so that biosecurity messages can be directed to their owners now that a comprehensive surveillance effort is underway for any type of avian influenza. HANSEN: We`d like them to be aware that avian influenza virus is possibly moving through the wild bird population. We don`t know that. But there`s a possibility that`s true. And they should increase their biosecurity for their own flocks. The other key message is for backyard bird owners to know the warning signs of infectious poultry diseases. Early detection of signs is important to prevent spread of the disease. Flock owners should not wait to report suspicious signs of disease or a high rate of unexpected death in the birds. Sick birds should be reported to your local department of Ag. That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.