Washington – Free-range chickens and small, backyard flocks will be at greatest risk if deadly bird flu reaches the United States, officials said Wednesday.
They also said they would begin killing off flocks, large or small, if they are suspected of having the virus – even before tests are completed.
Authorities say bird flu is likely to arrive in the United States this year.
If and when it does, “quick detection will be key to quickly containing it and eradicating it,” Ron DeHaven said in an interview with The Associated Press. He is head of the Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Most of America’s chickens come from big commercial farms that keep birds indoors and are well-protected against the spread of disease.
Yet there are many flocks in people’s backyards – as many as 60,000 in Los Angeles alone – as well as free-range flocks, some of which are outdoors and could mix with wild birds or their droppings.
