Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[pinkchick]

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Steve~

All I can say is call the USDA and speak with the person in charge of the NPIP program...when I did, they could not tell me how these regulations are being enforced and could not tell me how each state was suppose to implement these regs either. I asked if this was not the governing agency that set forth these regs and the response was yes, but I got silence when I asked how come they didn't know the answers.

I call my state vets and Ag. Dept. and they can only tell me that a person is participating in shipping hatching eggs and or poultry, or selling live chicks and eggs locally or in and out of this state should be NPIP certified and that it is illegal to ship any of the above if a person is not certified. However, NPIP certification and participation is voluntary. If transporting birds across state lines it is the responsibility of the transporter to be sure to have NPIP certification and or a health certificate from the state of origin accompanying each bird being transported.
Again, neither agency could tell me how these regulations are being enforced.

Not much help, huh?

People ship eggs to people all of the time it seems... Are people just ignoring the regulations? (not that I have a problem with that)

Ever so politely and no disrepect or stones thrown anywhere or to anyone....but to be very honest with you Steve.....yes.

 

[pinkchick]

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Of course all of this can happen Debbi.....there are no guarantees.
However, I will say that dilegence and common sense on both the testers part and the owners part and the owners active participation in biosecurity practices can greatly lessen the chances of it.

Yes they are tested annually and here in WA. and person who is NPIP keeps track of where every single egg, chick and or bird goes in a 3 part NCR log book for the state to review records. Also, it is the responsibility of the owner to report any sick and or dying birds and get testing done so that proper handling and or treatment of any illness or disease can be taken care of.

 

[enggass]

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People ship eggs to people all of the time it seems... Are people just ignoring the regulations? (not that I have a problem with that)

Ever so politely and no disrepect or stones thrown anywhere or to anyone....but to be very honest with you Steve.....yes.

I don't mean anything by it either - no disrespect to anyone. Just clarifying my thoughts, that's all.

 

[pinkchick]

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Debbi, the only thing the NPIP certificate is oking is that they do not have Salmonella Polurum.

In WA. they concentrate on Salmonella Polurum and Avian Flu.

 

[pinkchick]

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Ever so politely and no disrepect or stones thrown anywhere or to anyone....but to be very honest with you Steve.....yes.

I don't mean anything by it either - no disrespect to anyone. Just clarifying my thoughts, that's all.

It's all good Steve....I just didn't want to throw stones, because I too have lived in a glass house.

 

[fowlman01]

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Kim, some of the other States I have showed at in the past, they had a state tester at the door when you arrived and if you had a NPIP letter you went right inside, if you did not they had the people lineup outside and wait to have the birds tested before entering the building.

This is when you are planning to attend a show, right?
I have no clue how it is enforced here in WA., (I don't show) at shows, but can say, when I call the State Vet to discuss NPIP and the cost of it being prohibitive to the majority of the public who owns poultry due to the fact that he is the only person that at this time does the testing in WA. (the vet tells me there are no private testers in WA. (ridiculous!) and if there is the State Vet office doesn't know about them or they do not want to refer them out to anyone) a person has to pay for the vet to come do the testing and we pay starting from when the vet leaves the office to the time the vet returns (we pay windsheild time....I shutter to think what poultry owners in Eastern WA. do because the only tester in the state....is located in Western WA.) and anything over so many birds that are age 6 mos. or over, every bird on farm must be tested at the guestimation of 2 minutes per bird at the hourly rate of $85.00 per hour. This does not include the price for each test and results.

The tester never did show up at Stevenson WA this year. From what I have heard they never show up there and that is why the OR people have the show at Stevenson. Now that you say there is only one in WA I can see why they don't show up.

Walt

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
This is when you are planning to attend a show, right?
I have no clue how it is enforced here in WA., (I don't show) at shows, but can say, when I call the State Vet to discuss NPIP and the cost of it being prohibitive to the majority of the public who owns poultry due to the fact that he is the only person that at this time does the testing in WA. (the vet tells me there are no private testers in WA. (ridiculous!) and if there is the State Vet office doesn't know about them or they do not want to refer them out to anyone) a person has to pay for the vet to come do the testing and we pay starting from when the vet leaves the office to the time the vet returns (we pay windsheild time....I shutter to think what poultry owners in Eastern WA. do because the only tester in the state....is located in Western WA.) and anything over so many birds that are age 6 mos. or over, every bird on farm must be tested at the guestimation of 2 minutes per bird at the hourly rate of $85.00 per hour. This does not include the price for each test and results.

The tester never did show up at Stevenson WA this year. From what I have heard they never show up there and that is why the OR people have the show at Stevenson. Now that you say there is only one in WA I can see why they don't show up.

Walt

So ummm....yah!

Think of all birds that are shown and handled that are not tested...........................................

Exactly why I will not take my birds to shows.

 

[Debbi]

I just read quite a few of the posts in that forum Don gave, very interesting. I have to agree with the one poster, in that it all boils down to money and keeping the foreign trade going. Too much government for me and my piddly doings. Reminds me of my friend's father who had a herd of pigs. The Gov. agency, USDA? she wasn't sure, came out to test his herd. This was a mandatory thing, and this has been some many years ago. The testers claimed his entire herd tested positive for, I believe it was, Psuedo Rabies. They then offered to pay him like 30 cents on the dollar to remove the herd and "dispose" of them. Old Artis went in the house and came out with his gun and a box of ammo. They asked what he was doing? "If they're sick, then it's my responsibility to get rid of them. I wouldn't want to take the chance of passing this disease on to anyone else's herd, so they will be buried here." Before he could shoot the first hog, the testers told him to hold off, that they would be back in 2 weeks to re-test. Any guesses what the outcome was of the re-test?? Yup, they all tested negative for the disease, his herd was fine. Sure made me wonder. That said, the USDA can't enforce the laws/rules they have on the books now, why do they want to add more?? As for the Avian Flue, are they going to tag all migratory birds too?? They can't seem to get control over the big poultry outfits yet, in the newest case of Carghill turkey plant in Ark. having another recall on their ground turkey. That's the second they've had in like the last 6 months?? It all boils down to money, and appeasing the foreign market. I don't show, and probably won't. I eat my own eggs, with birds to follow, and I've not died yet, or even gotten ill. I don't sell eggs or meat, I'm not in "the business", nor do I intend to be. I have sold some older birds, but they were within my own state. That's another thing I don't get. If they are within your own state, they don't need to have a health certficate? Too many holes, too many questions, too much for me. That's it, off my soap box...

 

[Debbi]

Ok, one more thing

Do all of the egg shows have to have an NPIP certficate with the eggs received?? I know folks are shipping eggs all over the country to show their eggs, so what's the regulation there, anyone know?

 

[fowlman01]

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The tester never did show up at Stevenson WA this year. From what I have heard they never show up there and that is why the OR people have the show at Stevenson. Now that you say there is only one in WA I can see why they don't show up.

Walt

So ummm....yah!

Think of all birds that are shown and handled that are not tested...........................................

Exactly why I will not take my birds to shows.

In 45 years of showing I have never even heard of a case of disease being transmitted at a show. I can't speak to what could have happened during that time in the midwest, south or east, but here in the far west I have never heard of one case. I am a Calif poultry health inspector, so I should have heard if there has ever been a problem.
We have had problems in commercial operations and during that time there were no shows. During an Exotic Newcastle or AI outbreak, which fortunately doesn't happen very often the real danger lies in people walking around your place. I don't let too many people on my property, especially if they raise poultry, but I don't worry about shows, because I am looking for sick birds during the entire show. I just don't find them at shows here. And yes, I am very aware that sometimes birds that are sick do not show symptoms. Maybe this is why Cali has very few poultry health requirements. If it had been a problem we would have the same testing going on here......but we don't and there are lots of chickens raised in the commercial farms in CA.

To be 100% safe you should keep your birds at home and not allow anyone or your property and if anyone goes of the property they should have a sanitized set of clothes and shows to put on before they set foot on your place. Cars should also be sprayed for added security. That is what they do in these commercial operations. They are set up like Fort Knox.

Walt