Leading California poultry specialists will host a collaborative workshop to help backyard chicken and turkey flock owners prevent the spread of virulent Newcastle Disease (VND). The workshop will take place Monday, April 15, 2019 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The venue is 4120 Dublin Blvd, Dublin, CA 94568, Emerald Conference Room - (First Floor meeting room).

While VND presents no health risks for humans, the virus is deadly for birds. The current outbreak has led to quarantines across Southern California and safety precautions for bird owners and farmers statewide. Officials have not seen an outbreak this concerning since 2003. The workshop will provide interactive sessions on biosecurity at home and on the farm and bird health tips – including symptoms to monitor, technical information, pathology updates and outbreak data from California officials and organizations, including CDFA (California Department of Food and Agriculture) and CPF (California Poultry Federation).

California’s leading poultry experts, including State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Jones; Foster Farms’ veterinarians and biosecurity experts Drs. Robert O’Connor and Charles Corsiglia; poultry science specialist Dr. Maurice Pitesky and veterinarian pathologist Dr. Asli Mete, from University of California at Davis and California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory; along with representatives from the California Poultry Federation, in collaboration with backyard chicken enthusiasts and urban farmers.

In 2003 nearly four million California birds were depopulated as a result of Virulent Newcastle Disease (formerly known as Exotic Newcastle disease). The most recent outbreak has already resulted in over 1.1 million Southern California avian deaths.

“While Foster Farms flocks have not been affected, our commitment as veterinarians, is to ensure that all birds are protected,” said Robert O’Connor, DVM of Foster Farms. “That is why, along with the California Department of Food & Agriculture, the California Poultry Federation and UC Davis, we are sharing our knowledge and experience with backyard poultry enthusiasts. We all have a part to play in keeping our flocks safe and containing this deadly avian disease.” 

To register for the workshop, visit https://fs27.formsite.com/capoultryfederation/VNDWORKSHOP2019/index.html.

No live birds will be present nor permitted at the event for biosecurity reasons. Restricting transport and avoiding exposure to other flocks or individuals handing live birds helps prevent disease.

Source: Foster Farms