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It was a couple years ago when I called - so I do not remember specifics about prices and tests (names of the tests). BUT there is NOT an NPIP flock in the state of NV. I do not believe there are any testers (people trained to come to your flock, pull blood and send the blood off) - so the state vet would be the one to come out.
NO tests are run within this state, all blood is sent to WSU (washington state university - the cougars not the huskies) and results come back from them within 10 days or so.
The state of NV pushes hard if you have a mixed flock - they do not like it. It does not matter if it is all chickens - mixed to them is different age groups being housed together. They recommend - one house per age group and never adding chicks to an adult flock (which does not work for me, since I really place an importance on broodiness and a broody who can raise a clutch).
If you are tested this month, it does not mean your birds are healthy in the next month or half year - any time your flock can be infected from wild birds or any bird you bring home (quarantine is so very important - 4 weeks minimum, 6 is better but the best is 6 weeks with a "test" bird put in with the quarantine bird.)
It was very expensive.......for me I was looking at close to $500.00 to test all the birds for I think 3 tests that were available. Each test costs (2 to 3 dollars) and then there was the fee to sent it off to be tested, and I do not recall if there was a fee for the "tester" to come out.
I guess I really should call, or maybe go down and have a sit down with her (the state vet was female when I called).
Should anyone hear anything different, I am interested.
Dr. Rink, who is the same vet that you talked to, I believe, is putting together a chart for me to let me in on all the details. She is very nice and has been really digging around for details for me. I told her what my daughter and I are looking to do, that I want to raise quail, chickens and turkeys and sell eggs for consumption and hatching. We plan on focusing on two to three heritage breeds for each on the chickens and turkeys, and who knows how many quail breeds we will end up raising. Right now we are starting with cortunix mainly, and A&Ms. We want to raise gambel and chukkar, but the NDOW requires a permit to keep them in captivity and breed them. The fee for that is 500.00 annually, so we will have to wait on those until we make some money on our starters.
Here's what I have been told so far though. We need to draw blood from every bird on our property and send it away to be tested for Pullorum typhoid and Avian influenza for the initial certification. About the test processing and blood samples, she said, "Since we dont have enough poultry samples coming through this lab to maintain certification or reagents the sera will have to be send(sic) out of state. It seems that the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic lab offers a screening test for the 4 most important diseases (MG, MS, MM and Pt) for a total of $1.20 per serum. The AI test will be $3 per bird. This appears the most reasonably priced option." In her email to me on this last Friday, she added, "Usually NPIP participants are allowed to take blood samples from their own flocks. However, you have to undergo training 1st to do so. Since we dont have resources to set up training for 1 person I will find out if you can get trained in a different state. Once I hear back from my CA counterparts, I will let you know how this can be accomplished and what costs you will be looking at."
She did not define MG, MS and MM, so if anyone else can tell me more about what she is referring to I would be grateful. And yes, I am looking at probably having to test about sixty birds, so this is going to be a bit expensive if we choose to pursue it. There are still many other unanswered questions at this point as well. So I am waiting for her emails to arrive later this week to hopefully provide more information.
Becky