Studies Disputing Bird Flu Spread by Wild Birds/Small Poultry Flocks

[Guest guest]

As you've probably heard, bird flu has spread rapidly throughout

Europe and into the Middle East and Africa. The US is monitoring

Alaska heavily right now, as wild birds from Russia mingle with wild

birds on our North American migration routes, which the bay area is

on. Sea birds and water birds have been identified as particularly

risky.

 

There have recently been some articles published that dispute that

wild birds are spreading it, and that free-range or backyard poultry

flocks are to blame. Instead, they say that large commercial

operations are the real cause. Take a look.

 

This issue greatly impacts the welfare of poultry in our area. If

the large poultry industry has its way, small companion flocks and

free-range flocks will be a thing of the past.

 

 

1. Report Says Global Poultry Industry is the Root of the Bird Flu

Crisis Press Release from GRAIN. 27 February 2006

http://www.grain.org/nfg/?id=372

 

2. Report Blames Flu on Industrial Poultry Farms Not Backyard Birds

Article from Environmental News Service. 27 February 2006

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/feb2006/2006-02-27-01.asp

 

3. Factory Farms Behind Bird Flu Spread: Wild Birds Not Really to

Blame Article from Bangkok Post. 27 February 2006 Achara

Ashayagachat

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/27Feb2006_news09.php

 

4. Factory Farms Blamed for Spread of Bird Flu Article from the

Independent on Sunday. 26 February 2006 Geoffrey Lean,

Environment Editor

http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article347790.ece

 

Here's another interesting article:

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4721598.stm

 

Vested interests mean wild birds are being blamed for the spread of

avian flu, argues Dr Leon Bennun in this week's Green Room, whereas

responsibility really lies with modern farming. Demands for culling

and the destruction of nesting sites threaten, he says, to bring

rare species to extinction, but will do nothing to halt the disease.

 

 

And I thought this one was very interesting:

 

http://www.hsus.org/farm_animals/factory_farms/bird_flu_coming_home_t

o_roost.html

[Guest guest]

Cheryl and Nikkita and everyone else posting in about bird flu ... I

agree that this is an important issue for poultry in our area.

Cheryl, I appreciate all the news articles you have sent us about

avian flu. For those on the list who want to keep yourself informed

on this topic, here is a web site that gathers all the latest news

on avian flu in one place:

 

http://www.birdfluupdates.com/

 

-Rachel

 

 

, " brunoandherman "

<brunoandherman wrote:

 

As you've probably heard, bird flu has spread rapidly throughout

Europe and into the Middle East and Africa. The US is monitoring

Alaska heavily right now, as wild birds from Russia mingle with wild

birds on our North American migration routes, which the bay area is

on. Sea birds and water birds have been identified as particularly

risky ... This issue greatly impacts the welfare of poultry in our

area. If the large poultry industry has its way, small companion

flocks and free-range flocks will be a thing of the past.