Bird-flu in the USA

U.S. Bird Flu Outbreak Hits Millions of Iowa Egg-Laying Hens

Many of the 3.8 million egg-laying hens in an Iowa flock probably have bird flu as the biggest single outbreak of the virus reported in the U.S. added to concerns that turkey and egg supplies will be hampered by the disease.

“Despite best efforts, we now confirm many of our birds are testing positive” for avian influenza, closely held Sonstegard Foods Co. said in a statement dated April 20. The company said its Sunrise Farms unit close to Harris, Iowa, in Osceola County has 3.8 million hens.

The U.S. in February 1 had 362.1 million egg-laying hens, and Iowa with about 59.6 million is the state with the most, the latest government data on March 23 showed. Commercial turkey flocks with more than 2 million birds in eight states have been reported with the virus by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
“A lot of poultry meat and eggs won’t make it to market,” John Glisson, a vice president of research at the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, said during a panel discussion Tuesday at a National Chicken Council conference in Cambridge, Maryland. The U.S. and Canada are “implementing plans that have been set up for years” to fight disease, he said.

Hormel Foods Corp., the owner of Jennie-O turkeys, said Monday that annual profit may be eroded because the virus is hampering production. The company’s shares headed for the biggest decline in six weeks.

[...]

Before Monday, avian flu was found primarily in commercial turkey flocks, particularly in Minnesota, the largest U.S. producer.
The virus was first confirmed in a commercial turkey flock in the central U.S. last month after an outbreak began in wild birds and backyard flocks in the western U.S. in late 2014.

The disease has been found in some states that fall along a Mississippi River migratory route for waterfowl. China has halted all U.S. poultry imports since January, and other nations have imposed bans. Birds in flocks detected with the virus don’t enter the food system, according to the USDA.

“It’s not a food safety issue, it’s not a human-health concern, but we certainly are worried for this particular flock owner” in Iowa, Randy Olson, the executive director of the state’s egg council and poultry association, said Tuesday in a telephone interview. “We’re worried about the spread of this disease, and we’re encouraging all flock owners whether they have hundreds of birds or just a few in their backyards to practice very strict biosecurity." [...]

Here is some info about backyard chicken biosecurity:

Avian influenza basics for urban and backyard poultry owners

[...] Biosecurity steps to protect your flock

In order to help flock owners to keep their birds healthy by preventing disease, biosecurity is a must! Introductions of HPAI come from waterfowl (ducks and geese) and gulls that come to Minnesota. Once poultry are infected, they can spread the disease to new flocks. Now is a great time to review your biosecurity. The USDA provides the following tips on preventing AI in your poultry:

Keep your distance (separating your poultry from disease introduction). Some examples are:

Restrict access from wildlife and wild birds to your birds by use of enclosed shelter and fencing of the outdoor areas. Use of smaller mesh hardware cloth which allows exclusion of wild birds while still allowing outdoor exposure.
Caretakers should not have contact with other poultry or birds prior to contact with their own birds. Restrict access to your poultry if your visitors have birds of their own.
Keep different species of poultry and age groups separated due to differences in susceptibility.
Look at your own setting, what can you do to prevent your birds from contact with other birds that could introduce HPAI?

Keep it clean (cleaning and disinfecting). Some examples are:

Keep feeders and waterers clean and out of reach of wild birds. Clean up feed spills.
Change feeding practices if wild birds continue to be present.
Use dedicated or clean clothing and foot wear when working with poultry
Clean and then disinfect equipment that comes in contact with your birds such as shovels and rakes.
Conduct frequent cleaning and disinfecting of housing areas and equipment to limit contact of birds with their waste.
Evaluate your practices. Is it clean or is there room for improvement?

Don't haul disease home. Some examples are:

Introduction of new birds or returning birds to the flock after exhibition. Keep them separated for at least 30 days.
Returning dirty crates or other equipment back to the property without cleaning and disinfecting. This includes the tires on the vehicles and trailers.
Take a look and be critical. Is that site where you have set up a quarantine really separated well enough to keep your flock safe? Where do you clean crates? Can the runoff get to your birds?

Don't borrow disease from your neighbors

Don't share equipment or reuse materials like egg cartons from neighbors and bird owners, you could be borrowing disease.
Do you have what you need to separate yourself from your friends and neighbors? Now is the time to get the equipment and supplies you need to make that possible. [...]

Basically, no free range chickens. And what is a back-yard chicken, if not free-range?


More Bird-Flu headlines HERE.
     

The "Spanish Flu" of 1918, and Lomatium Root

Back when there were concerns of Bird Flu spreading globally, I did some research about deadly flu strains with similar symptoms. I discovered an interesting treatment that worked for the deadly flu epidemic of 1918. It's an herbal flu remedy that you can get at your local health food store, called "Lomatium". With all the talk about Swine Flu right now, I think it's worth taking a look at this interesting plant extract:

Indian Consumption Plant (Lomatium Dissectum) a powerful antiviral medicine synthesized by nature

(NaturalNews) A powerful antiviral plant used by Native Americans to survive the 1918 influenza epidemic may prove to be a strong modern-day cold and flu remedy, according to a report from the University of California.

The root -- called Lomatium Dissectum, Biscuit Root or Indian Consumption Plant -- was eaten by the Washoe Indians to battle viral illnesses such as influenza. During the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, not a single Washoe tribe member died from influenza or its complications. However, other tribes living in Nevada in areas where the plant did not grow experienced a number of deaths, according to Dr. Ernst T. Krebs, a Nevada physician writing in the Bulletin of the Nevada State Board of Health.

The plant, a member of the parsley family, is wildcrafted, and grows in dry, sandy climates. Krebs says it acts as a bronchial, intestinal and urinary antiseptic, and is also a diaphoretic (causes perspiration) and diuretic. It is usually prepared by cutting up the root and boiling it in water, then skimming off the top and consuming large doses of the broth to treat cold, flu and even pneumonia. [...]

During the Bird Flu epidemic, I had bought some Lomatium root tincture at our local health food store. I forgot how much it cost, but it wasn't expensive, it's made by a company called Herb Pharm. The companies owner, Ed Smith, has an interesting page about Lomatium on his blog:

The Use of Lomatium Root in Treating an Influenza Pandemic

[...] During the pandemic of 1918-19 over 50-million people died worldwide from what was then know as “Spanish Flu” or “La Grippe.” This was the most devastating epidemic in recorded history and infected one-fifth of the world’s population. An estimated 28% of the American population was infected and 675,000 died during the pandemic.

[...]

One herb that appears to have been very successfully used by Nevada Native Americans during this pandemic was the root of Lomatium dissectum, which at the time was named Leptotaemia dissecta. This use of Lomatium was observed by Dr. Ernest Krebs and is reported by him below. [...]

Ed gives the full text of Dr. Kreb's report. He then describes how he came to learn about Lomatium, how it's prepared and how it should be used, and a rare but possible side effect:

[...] I was first introduced to Lomatium root in 1978 by the venerable naturopathic physician, Dr. John Bastyr. He told me that for many years he would hike into the Cascade Mountains of eastern Washington to harvest the Lomatium root that he used in his medical practice.

[...]

Dr. Bastyr shared with me stories of his successful clinical use of Lomatium as an anti-viral in the treatment of colds, flu, pneumonia, and other related maladies. At the time, very few people knew of Lomatium, but Dr. Bastyr’s teachings kept knowledge of this herb alive among naturopathic doctors and medical students, and I and a few other herbalists (e.g., Michael Moore) spread the word to our herb students, patients and customers. Today Lomatium is well know among American naturopathic doctors and clinical herbalists and is available in many natural foods and herb stores.

Lomatium is a reasonably safe herb to use internally but it can rarely cause a troublesome side effect. Patients who take large or long-continued doses of Lomatium can sometimes develop an annoying skin rash. [...]

Read the whole thing for further details. I've used the product with no problems. I seldom get colds or coughs, but I consider my bottle of Lomatium root tincture a handy thing to have, just in case.



Lomatium