The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has started the process of in-barn composting of birds in two British Columbia barns after avian influenza was discovered at the end of January.
As of Feb. 1, 36 farms have been quarantined so the agency can monitor the spread of the virus. CFIA monitoring includes testing commercial flocks within a three kilometre radius of the two positive barns and those identified as being linked with the infected premise.
All flocks under surveillance have tested negative for avian influenza. Seven more quarantines have been applied to premises outside the three km radius and to two more within the three km.
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About 60,000 turkeys were humanely destroyed with carbon dioxide gas. The carcasses were composted inside the barns and the temperature checked to ensure it reaches a high enough levels to render the virus inactive.
Before moving the carcasses off the farms, samples must be tested and confirmed negative for the virus.
In 2004, an outbreak of avian influenza in British Columbia led to the destruction of 17 million birds.
People are rarely affected by avian influenza, except those in close contact with infected birds.
