B.C. ostrich farm failed to contain bio risk from avian flu, agency says

Universal Ostrich Farm “failed to undertake appropriate biosecurity risk mitigation measures,” the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said in a statement.

The ostrich farm in British Columbia, which has become a flashpoint of an avian flu outbreak, “has not cooperated” with the authorities to manage the outbreak, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Universal Ostrich Farm “failed to undertake appropriate biosecurity risk mitigation measures,” the CFIA alleged in a statement.

CFIA had previously ordered the entire herd at the farm be culled following an avian flu outbreak in December. The outbreak is believed to have come from a flock of ducks that migrated to the farm.

Nearly 70 ostriches died as a result of the outbreak.

The agency said in its statement that the farm failed to report initial cases of illness and deaths among the birds to the CFIA and failed to adhere to quarantine orders.

It also failed to take measures such as limiting wild bird access to the ostriches, controlling water flow from the quarantine zone to other parts of the farm, or improving fencing, the CFIA said.

“These actions significantly increase the risk of disease transmission and reflect a disregard for regulatory compliance and animal health standards,” the statement said.

The farm had said that the birds were part of a program researching antibody production against the avian flu pandemic.