DV Management News
Your thoughts came through loud and clear in our survey
Director, Global Research and Marketing
Diamond V
Again this year, we received a nice number of responses to our PoultryAdvisor reader survey. Many of you took a couple minutes to give us your thoughts. Here's a sampling of what you told us:
- Thirteen percent said PoultryAdvisor is too lengthy; 1% said it's too short and you want more. 84% said length and volume is fine as is.
- Technical and research stories are ranked highest or 2nd highest by 69% to 74% of readers, while management news come in at 53%. The message seems to be variety in topics, led by technical information, is still preferred.
- Nearly 60% read PoultryAdvisor always or frequently. 77% say the technical content is very or somewhat relevant. Many print or download articles and pass them along to clients and colleagues
As for that most important question--what can we do to improve?-- the suggestions were as varied as they were thoughtful and helpful: More food safety articles; international comparisons in poultry operations, non-medical interventions to support immune health, on-farm training requests, environmental and EPA issues, and non-product focused enteric health instruction.
We hear you. And we'll keep striving to improve. Let me say thank you for your continued readership and interest in all things poultry. And in the spirit of the holidays, I always want to make sure we at Diamond V take stock in the relationships we so greatly value with readers, clients and colleagues as we all continue the quest to produce the most nutritious, delicious and safest poultry products throughout the world.
Kind regards,
Mike
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News Analysis
Is the H7N9 avian-origin virus in China a threat to the US?
Technical Service Specialist - Poultry
Diamond V
A recent article from BBC News China describes the first evidence of H7N9 avian influenza (AI) virus infection in humans outside mainland China and Taiwan. This disease has been found to be highly fatal if humans become infected and is associated with close contact with the slaughter process of infected quail or chickens in live poultry markets.
A low pathogenic (LP) strain of avian influenza, this virus does not cause any outward signs of disease in the birds it infects. However, in the humans it infects, it causes a highly fatal disease. In mainland China, 44 have died from among 135 reported cases. That's a fatality rate of 33%. Quail are the most susceptible birds followed by chickens and turkeys. Ducks and geese are less susceptible than the aforementioned, and pigeons are the least susceptible.
Could this virus spread to the U.S.? Thus far, human-to-bird infection has not been shown. The possibility of infected migratory birds spreading the virus to U.S. migratory birds exists. Some migratory birds from China intermix with U.S. migratory birds in a common breeding ground in Alaska. This appears to be unlikely as the highly pathogenic (HP) AI strain of H5N1, present in China since its emergence in 2003, has not yet spread to the U.S.
Fomites such as contaminated people or equipment are not likely sources either as the people who are exposed to poultry or live poultry markets do not travel to the U.S. frequently. Also, low pathogenic strains of AI are not known to infect meat products from infected poultry.
If the H7N9 China virus was introduced into a flock in the U.S., our system of active surveillance of birds in live bird markets (LBM) should be able to detect the virus infection using routine serological or antigen detection methods just as LPAI infections are detected now. Apparently, the China LBM system does not have a testing requirement prior to movement to the LBM. Also, as this virus does not appear to be a bird-adapted virus, it is not highly contagious among poultry, thus spread to other flocks would be limited.
The threat of avian influenza is an ever-present threat. Following good biosecurity practices, adhering to monitoring schedules and requirements, and submitting specimens to the lab from sick flocks is essential to win the battle against this very elusive foe.
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