Rare chickens to be destroyed after latest tests reveal more chicks are infected with dangerous salmonella - UPDATE

A FLOCK of 4000 rare chickens have been handed death sentences, after another three birds tested positive to salmonella.

Despite a public outcry and a Federal Court reprieve last week, the syndicate that imported the chickens were last night resigned to the fact the flock must be destroyed.

The Department of Agriculture issued a destruction order for the flock, held in quarantine at Torrens Island, after an initial test revealed one chick was infected with salmonella .

The Australian Rare Poultry Importation Syndicate, which spent 10 years and $500,000 to bring the breeds to the country, said it accepted the latest test results and their consequences.

"The only responsible decision that could be made was to turn the flock over to the Commonwealth for destruction," the statement said.

"We are clearly disappointed that this first importation has been unable to consummate this remarkable effort, especially after the investment (physical and financial) provided by some of our key syndicate members."

Continued

Death row reprieve for rare chooks in quarantine on Adelaide's Torrens Island

MORE than 4000 rare chickens on death row in quarantine on Torrens Island have been given a stay of execution until 10am on Friday.

A syndicate which spent a decade and $500,000 importing the poultry obtained a last minute court injunction halting the planned destruction of the flock at 7am today but Department of Agriculture officials insist the birds will have to be destroyed.

The Australian Rare Poultry Importation Syndicate is meeting with its lawyers today seeking advice on alternatives to save the chickens.

The destruction order was issued late Friday after a single, week-old chick died and an autopsy concluded the death was due to a strain of salmonella.

The letter advising the syndicate of the impending destruction from the officer who issued the order said it would receive 'a statement of reasons for my decision in the near future.'

The syndicate says the disease has not been detected in any other birds, including 'sentinel' birds bred to be susceptible to disease, and suspect it may be a 'false-positive' result.

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Federal Court to decide fate of 4000 rare chooks on July 25

ADELAIDE'S now world famous death row chickens have another stay of execution after Federal Court Judge Anthony Besanko gave 4000 fancy imported birds a second lifeline until midnight on July 25.

The chickens - being followed in blogs and petitions from around the world - arrived in Adelaide as eggs in what supporters say is a 'Noah's ark' project to replenish the local gene pool, as meat chickens are hybrids and no new non-commercial breeds have arrived since 1948.

However, the 10 year, $500,000 project to establish a disease-free flock made up of 45 breeds from the United Kingdom then bringing their fertile eggs to Australia faces disaster after the eggs hatched nine weeks ago and one of several chicks which died, was diagnosed with salmonella.

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Rare chooks in quarantine face death over single case of salmonella

MORE than 4000 rare chickens held in quarantine at Torrens Island may be killed after one of the birds was found to be infected with salmonella.

The birds, the product of a 10-year breeding program that has cost $500,000, were due to be released in the next few days to a group of about 100 breeders across the nation.

The prospect of a poultry slaughter was triggered by the death of a chick that showed signs of salmonella - the only positive test from hundreds done on the birds including "sentinel" birds specially bred to be susceptible to such diseases.

The federal Department of Agriculture gave the destruction order on Friday.

The Australian Rare Poultry Importation Syndicate is now scrambling to lodge a Supreme Court injunction to prevent the slaughter of the nine-week-old chicks on Tuesday.

Members of the syndicate are conservationists and exhibitors who enjoy the birds as a hobby rather than for food and wanted to replenish the existing gene pool as well as bring new breeds into Australia.

Syndicate spokeswoman Meredith Parker said the group formed a decade ago and had spent about $500,000 on a project to import eggs from 45 different breeds such as Cochins, Dorkings, Scots Greys and Vorwerks.

Read more: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/national-news/south-australia/rare-chooks-in-quarantine-face-death-over-single-case-of-salmonella/story-fnii5yv4-1226678983851#ixzz2YyCqd5WN

Avian Salmonella blamed for Billings bird deaths

BILLINGS - An unusual number of dead birds have been found in Billings area yards with bird feeders this spring.

Nearly all of the birds are red crossbills, a species of finch that normally feeds on conifer tree seeds.

Wildlife disease specialists at the National Wildlife Health Center in Wisconsin concluded that the deaths are due to avian salmonella, a naturally occurring bacterium, possibly originating from contaminated food. Salmonella spreads among birds through their feces.

Since mid-May, dead birds have been reported around at least eight bird feeders in the Billings and Laurel areas.

One resident had 50 dead birds so far, and it is likely that other die-offs went unreported.

If dead birds are found, the National Wildlife Health Center recommends cleaning bird feeders thoroughly with a solution of warm water and 10 percent bleach, then rinsing and air drying them.

Feeding should not be restarted for two or three weeks to encourage birds to disperse and forage naturally.

An even better solution, the center said, is to not feed birds at all during the warmer months.

Any time birds are concentrated unnaturally, it hastens the spread of diseases such as salmonella.

During the summer months, the birds don't really need our help.

While most of the dead birds have been red crossbills, which are especially susceptible to salmonella, other species also can be affected and may either die or serve as carriers of the bacteria for several weeks.

The NWHC also notes that the salmonella strain usually found in birds may cause illness in people, but that the risk can be minimized by wearing rubber gloves when handling dead birds or feeders or cleaning bird droppings off decks and other surfaces.

The NWHC also says it's a good idea to discourage pets from picking up bird carcasses.

http://www.kxlf.com/news/avian-salmonella-blamed-for-billings-bird-deaths/

DNR asks public to clean bird feeders

We know it’s important to clean out the refrigerator once in a while, but don’t forget the bird feeder too.

State wildlife officials have confirmed reports of the death or sickness of small numbers of three bird species linked to salmonella poisonings in southern Wisconsin.

That’s prompted the Department of Natural Resources to ask the public to clean backyard bird feeders and keep an eye out for dead birds, since salmonella not only kills birds, but affects humans as well.

The warmer temperatures are producing ideal conditions for bacteria in bird feeders, the DNR says. Salmonella from the feces of birds is known to lurk in dirty bird feeders.

The DNR said that the deaths of a small number of pine siskins in Dane County have been tied to salmonella. Sick goldfinches and sparrows have been reported in Dodge and Crawford counties, as well.

The birds might be more vulnerable due to stress from their migration.

The National Wildlife Health Center said that salmonella bacteria live in the intestines of birds and are passed through feces. The salmonella strain found in birds can also be passed to humans.

Here’s some recommendations from the DNR:

- Clean bird feeders and bird baths regularly with a 10% bleach solution.
- Throw away empty seed hulls near feeders.
- Consider moving feeders occasionally to avoid a buildup of waste in one area.
- Replace water in a bird bath every two or three days
- Wear disposable gloves when cleaning a birdbath and bird feeder. 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/186463361.html