Healthy flocks for healthy meals
By Contributor
Do you own a few pet chickens or other feathered friends or raise ninety-nine chickens for egg production? Maybe you are just thinking of acquiring fowl in the future.
The BC Ministry of Agriculture, Growing Forward – a federal, provincial and territorial initiave – the Regional District of the Kootenay Boundary and Area D will be hosting a course on “Keeping Your Flock Healthy.”
The course is intended for owners of small flocks who wish to learn more about diseases in poultry, including the recognition of common diseases, methods that can be taken to prevent their entry into your flock and the actions that can be followed if they appear.
The focus will be on infectious disease, how disease spreads, and how to control disease. Some of the more specific diseases will be discussed depending on time. The goal is to increase the understanding of the principles of disease.
There will also be a discussion on some of the more important elements of management.
This course is the same as a course being given at the University of the Fraser Valley as well as Vancouver Island, the Queen Charlottes and the Okanogan. We feel very fortunate to bringing it to this area. It has been very favorably received in other areas thus encouraging the course to continue being presented to more interest groups.
A very knowledgeable group of presenters will be facilitating at this course. Among them are:
- Dr. William Cox, the presenter is a poultry veterinarian with many years of practice experience in poultry medicine. He joined the Animal Health Branch of the BC Ministry if Agriculture 4 years ago.
- Dr. Vicki Bowes is an Avian Pathologist at the Animal Health Centre with an interest and extensive experience in all avian species. Besides working with the commercial and hobby farmers, she also works with the Canadian Wildlife Service on wild bird issues, with veterinarians on pet bird problems, and with the wildlife recovery operations.
- Dr. Daniel Schwartz is a veterinarian with the CIFA and a specialist in insecurity working with the Office of Animal Biosecurity. He has worked with a variety of groups, including poultry, waterfowl, hobbyists and mink to name a few. He has also consulted with the Department of National Defense on insecurity and effective cleaning and disinfections procedures.
The course is FREE of charge. Lunch and coffee breaks are provided as well.
Friday, Oct. 28 from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Grand Forks Senior’s Hall 565 71st St. (City Park).
You must pre-register. Contact 1-800-355-7352 (Maria Ciaardullo) or Irene Perepolkin at 250-442-3817.
This course is meant to be interactive and informal and discussion will be encouraged. Mark your calander, register and take advantage of this valuable learning tool provided free of charge.
