A SIMPLE CASE FOR AU LOFT CERTIFICATION
By Coop Kohli, AU Lakes Zone Director
In January of this
year, avian influenza (AI) (H7N8) was again discovered to have infected 10
confined turkey houses in Dubois county in south central Indiana, leading to
the slaughter of some 240,000 turkeys.
No other flocks in the control area were found to have been
affected. The virus was determined to be
low-pathogenic AI in 9 houses, but had mutated to highly pathogenic AI in one
house, and it is the mutation of these low pathogenic viruses into highly
pathogenic viruses that creates so much concern. Poultry flocks with low pathogenic viruses
often show few symptoms, but if you come in one morning, and find half of your
flock dead with no warning, you are probably dealing with a highly pathogenic
virus. Therein lies the difference.
Last fall, I was
vilified by some peers for "getting too involved with State Vets"
with the avian influenza issue as it confronted flyers in Michigan and Ohio,
and by others, almost simultaneously, for "not doing enough with State
Vets" on this issue. While the AU
had success in Michigan last summer in getting young bird racing back on track,
making progress in Ohio proved to be much more difficult, and there is little
doubt in my mind that this challenge will confront us again this spring when
the goose migration begins.
The ban in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan prohibiting the co-mingling
of poultry, at this moment, has been rescinded, but what we have learned in
talking with these folks is that the AU's Loft Certification program is an
important component in helping regulators find comfort with our sport. Here's why.
In my home county, we have a major "exotic animal swap
meet" at a local livestock sale complex twice a year. This thing is huge, and has grown
exponentially. Vendors come in by the
hundreds, and buyers and traders come in by the thousands. People come in from all over the place and
wander around the grounds shoulder to shoulder for three days and nights. Exotic animals are in cages in every corner,
or are hanging out the back-end of nearly every pickup truck. The sellers and buyers are anonymous
characters, independent wheelerdealers, unconnected, unconcerned, and hauling along every type of varmint you
can imagine from ferrets to camels. It
is like the wild west, and it’s a riot, unless you're a blood-tester for the
State Veterinarian's office, and have to explain how the state's next major
livestock disease outbreak took place right under your nose. For these veterinarians, it is a sobering
experience. Imagine the media pressure,
the time requirements, the man-power needs, the potential effect on the
livestock markets, and the cost to the state of rounding up information on
anonymous participants if someone unknowingly brought in hoof and mouth
disease. Anticipating contagious disease
events at formats like this preoccupies the thinking of State Veterinarians.
And, this is exactly
the type of vision of our sport we do not want in the mind of a regulator when
it comes time to influence state rule making.
Our best opportunity to influence his decisions depends on our ability
to convince him that we are a group of well organized, concerned senior
citizens, serious about our civic responsibilities regarding the spread of
disease, tied together into a close community of pigeon racing enthusiasts that
is striving to learn, to protect, and to grow our great sport. We want him to see us as being governed by a
reasonable standard of husbandry that we all buy into, that is guided by our
scientific task force, and that we are propelled forward by our love of the
sport, not by the greed typically associated with people gaming animals.
THE AU LOFT
CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
provides that
link. It is a must in the AU arsenal of
tools needed to reach our goals as we deal with regulators. This is not a program designed to thrust
unneeded "AU enforcement" onto innocent, unsuspecting racing pigeon
fanciers. Animal agriculture in this
country understands, and has long accepted, the need for "premise
identification", and the USDA can now trace a piece of contaminated meat
backwards from your table to the farm that produced it. As a sport, we need to get in line. Nobody wants the government nosing around on
their property, or telling them what to do, and this is not a government
program. However, we will not overcome
inevitable regulatory challenges that can limit our sport without overwhelming
participation in this program, or some version of it. The state of Michigan now requires AU loft
certification for pigeon racing, along with a “premise ID”. When I next meet with the Michigan State Vet,
I know we will be reviewing our association’s progress on this matter. It was important enough to him to request
from the AU office, an updated list every week. And this was a request from a regulator that
was very helpful and positive in his handling of our plea for fairness and
open-mindedness. Any lack of
follow-through will trip up progress the next time we seek his sympathy and
understanding. We will have unwittingly
played into the hands of the groups wanting to shut us down.
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This is the age of 24/7 news.
Regulators want assurances that they are dealing with organizations that
are reputable, and with people from whom they won’t get burned. Programs that provide cover to regulators
from news media and critics in times of trouble are preferable. Please give the AU your immediate support in
protecting your hobby by getting your loft registered. We each need to take ownership of this
issue. During trying times, this becomes
a big deal. If we hope to race pigeons
in Michigan and Ohio, it will become a part of our world. It won’t be negotiable. Please take the necessary 15 minutes, and get
it behind you. The process is
simple. For more explanation, I can be
reached at 330 464 3866.
OHIO’S DR. GLYDE MARSH JOINS AU EFFORT TO UPDATE STATE VETS ON
RACING PIGEONS AND AI
The AU now has Dr.
Glyde Marsh, a highly regarded Ohio poultry veterinarian, on retainer as part
of its effort to update State Veterinarians on the relationship between avian
influenza and racing pigeons. This cost
is being paid on your behalf by the AU.
This is an important addition to our effort to influence the State
Veterinarian's office and the veterinarians that advise Ohio poultry companies,
for Dr. Marsh is well known and highly respected in avian disease circles
within the state. Our ability to
communicate with these important decision-makers has now been made much easier.
Dr. Marsh lives in
New Albany, Ohio, and has been working with Ohio poultry companies for over 50
years. Twice he has received the Ohio
Poultry industry’s prestigious "Golden Egg" award for his
contributions to Ohio's egg, chicken and turkey communities. Forty-one years ago, Dr. Marsh was also my advisor
in Poultry Science at the Ohio State University, where he was the university's
Poultry Vet for three decades. Now
semi-retired, Marsh has continued to consult with Ohio poultry companies, while
he also serves on the New Albany city council.
A Lieutenant Colonel in the military police during WW II, last summer,
Marsh was recognized by the Ohio State Legislature for being the oldest elected
official in the state. Being a
politician adds to his effectiveness.
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Dr. Marsh has the
ability to connect with all of the individuals in the state that have influence
on the ability of our sport to prosper in Ohio, and he has been around long
enough to know how to operate in, and around, the State Diagnostic Lab “under
the radar.” We need his advice, and we are certainly thankful for his
help.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS CAN BE DIRECTED TO EZRAKOHLI@GMAIL.COM, OR YOU CAN FIND ME ON FACEBOOK. IMAGES SHARED FROM FACEBOOK.
