FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 7, 2004

Media Contact:
Jeannette Warnert
Sr. Public Information Representative
UC Ag and Natural Resources
(559) 241-7514
jwarnert@uckac.edu

UC Cooperative Extension game bird disease prevention training in Fresno, Modesto, and Orland in May

Fresno - In the wake of an expensive and nearly disastrous outbreak of exotic Newcastle disease in Southern California poultry last year, UC Cooperative Extension will conduct training programs in May to help game bird breeders prevent and slow the spread of bird diseases.

The USDA estimated the outbreak cost the California poultry industry $167 million in lost exports to countries that refuse poultry products from areas with exotic Newcastle, plus the cost of containing the disease and depopulating ranches where infected birds were found. The California trade quarantine ended in September 2003.

Experts with USDA, the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the University of California created a task force to plan ways to avoid a similar experience in the future. Training programs were held in Southern California for individuals who raise domestic game chickens, the birds suspected of introducing exotic Newcastle into California. The three training programs in May target the estimated 150 foothill and Central Valley outfits that raise game birds to sell to hunting clubs or for specialty meat.

The most common game birds are ringneck pheasant, bobwhite quail, Japanese quail and red leg partridge. While the hunting clubs are typically in isolated spots, many of the birds are raised in reasonably close proximity to the valley's enormous chicken and turkey ranches, putting those industries at risk should the game birds become infected.

The game bird training programs will be at the Glenn County UC Cooperative Extension office, 821 E. South Street, May 13 in Orland; at the Fresno County UC Cooperative Extension office, 1720 S. Maple Ave., May 26 in Fresno; and at the Stanislaus County Agricultural Center, 3800 Cornucopia Way, May 27 in Modesto. Each runs from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and focuses on biosecurity and disease control. Following are the topics to be covered at all three locations:

* Game bird diseases - Diagnoses from the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory
* Preventing disease programs with practical biosecurity
* Keeping game birds healthy
* How to use the California Animal Health Food Safety Laboratory System
* Early chick mortality problems

The meetings are free and pre-registration is not necessary. For more information, contact Ralph Ernst at (530) 752-3513, raernst@ucdavis.edu.

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