The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has highlighted concerns about potential risks to animal and human health due to the ongoing delay in conducting the ostrich cull at a farm in southeastern B.C. The agency stated that it will continue to provide veterinary oversight and feed the ostriches using supplies from Universal Ostrich Farms’ regular suppliers. Currently, there are estimated to be between 300 and 330 ostriches on the farm in Edgewood, B.C., with efforts underway to determine an exact count.
Additionally, one ostrich on the premises has been identified as having compromised health, although specifics about its condition were not disclosed. The ostriches at the farm received a temporary reprieve following a last-minute stay of the cull issued by the Supreme Court of Canada earlier in the week.
The cull was initiated in response to an avian flu outbreak at the farm, but the farm’s owners have contested the decision, asserting that the surviving birds are healthy and of scientific value. The CFIA reported that upon confirming the outbreak, a laboratory in Winnipeg isolated the virus and conducted complete whole genome sequencing.
The virus identified was described as a “novel reassortment” not previously observed in Canada, with a genotype linked to a human infection in a poultry worker in Ohio. The CFIA warned that even small amounts of the virus could be deadly, causing mice exposed to low doses to succumb within 4-5 days. In comparison, the B3.13 genotype, originating from a U.S. dairy cow, led to mortality within 3-6 days but only at considerably higher doses.