WELCOME !
The large commercial Canadian poultry industries that are regulated through Supply Management have extensive communication networks, and farmers have access to large amounts of educational material to help them stay at the cutting edge of poultry husbandry and poultry health. Small non-regulated feather industries generally do not have access to this type of information.
The "Keeping Your Birds Healthy - Biosecurity Basics for Small Flocks" initiative was developed by the University of Guelph, the Poultry Industry Council and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs to target non-regulated feather industries. The mission is to develop a network with the non-regulated feather industries to enhance technology transfer of information that will improve bird health and welfare and on-farm biosecurity.
World concerns about a bird flu epidemic, highlighted in Canada by the massive avian influenza emergency response efforts in British Columbia (2004 and 2009) and Saskatchewan (2008) , the continuing “mad cow” saga, the devastating “foot and mouth” outbreaks in British cattle, sheep and hogs have all served to alert and mobilize animal industries and government to the need for improving on-farm biosecurity. The information on this website will help non-regulated feather industries prepare as well.
This initiative has three objectives that are described in the introductory video:
- to provide information and resources on the basic principles of biosecurity, good husbandry practices and flock health .
- to establish mechanisms for technology transfer to get this information to the non-regulated feather industries. These include a resource kit and this website.
- to improve diagnostic and surveillance capabilities across the province. A training program is being designed for non-poultry veterinarians to increase their knowledge and capabilities to better identify bird diseases, to improve disease surveillance and to serve this industry better.
We hope you enjoy the site. There is a lot of information available to you and it will be updated periodically so please come back and check in often.