State and federal quarantines restricting bird and poultry movement have been released in Socorro, in El Paso County, officially bringing to a close the Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) outbreak in Texas that was first detected April 9, 2003. This spring, nearly 800 flocks in El Paso and surrounding counties were tested, and about 2,000 diseased or exposed backyard birds were euthanized to stop the spread of the END virus, which does not affect human health or food quality, but is deadly to birds. 

"In April and May, quarantines restricted bird movement within and from El Paso and Hudspeth Counties in Texas, and from Dona Anna, Luna and Otero Counties in New Mexico, while teams from the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), New Mexico Livestock Board and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) worked to wipe out the disease," said Dr. Bob Hillman, Texas state veterinarian and executive director for the TAHC, the state's livestock and poultry health regulatory agency. "By June 5, confident that the disease had been wiped out, the state and federal quarantines were reduced to a few blocks within Socorro, where the infection had been detected. As of Wednesday, August 13, this last quarantine was released, and poultry and birds can be moved without restriction." 

Dr. Hillman said that, even though END is officially wiped out in Texas, it could still affect the state's ability to trade internationally, at least for a while. "END is a foreign animal disease, and although it struck only backyard birds in Texas and no commercial operations, some 13 countries either placed additional restrictions on our poultry products or banned the products until we could prove Texas was disease-free," he pointed out. "Our trading partners have the prerogative to decide when they'll again accept Texas products. Some countries may accept poultry within a few weeks; others may enforce a longer waiting period." 

"We have fared well, however, considering the damage END can do," commented Dr. Hillman. He pointed out that in southern California, more than three hundred veterinarians and animal health inspectors continue to battle an END outbreak which has affected hundreds of backyard flocks and 22 commercial poultry farms. Almost four million birds have been euthanized to stop the disease from spreading, and during the height of the outbreak, more than 1,700 animal health staff 'drafted' from across the country to fight the disease." 

"The USDA reports that the END outbreak in California is under control and is in the last stages of being eradicated," he said.  "Furthermore, state and federal quarantines have been lifted in Arizona and Nevada, where small END outbreaks occurred last winter." 

"Fighting a disease like END takes cooperation from state and federal staff, other agencies, bird and poultry owners, and the public," noted Dr. Hillman. "An eradication effort is like fighting a forest fire. If someone yells 'fire' when there's just a few sparks, it can be stamped out quickly. The same idea applies to disease. Call your veterinarian or us when unusual disease signs first appear, and the eradication time, staffing power and cost will be minimal, compared to an outbreak that's out of control." 

"Check your birds recently for signs of disease, such as gasping, coughing, diarrhea or paralysis," said Dr. Hillman. "Make a call to your private veterinarian or to one of the regulatory veterinary agencies." 

Dr. Hillman referred bird owners in Texas to the TAHC's 24-hour hotline at 1-800-550-8242 or to the USDA's Veterinary Services office in Austin at 512-916-5552. In New Mexico, bird owners may call the New Mexico Livestock Board at 505-841-6161 or the USDA at 505-761-3160. 

"Don't be concerned about yelling 'fire' if birds are sick, or if there's unusual death loss," he urged. "Don't wait until there's a raging disease inferno." 

UPPER TOWNSHIP (NJ) - Chickens here better enjoy their free range while they can.

The zoning office wants to corral them and any other domesticated animals that now have the run of this sprawling, suburbanized township.

The Township Committee introduced an ordinance this week to fine the owners of pets or livestock that stray onto public roads or trespass unwanted onto private property. The law applies to dogs, cats, pigs, horses, sheep, goats and any other conceivable pet that calls Cape May County home.

But the committee is targeting one in particular, the lowly guinea hen.  These speckled African fowl are familiar sentinels in Cape May County, where they have been raised by suburbanites to combat the spread of Lyme disease. The chicken-sized birds are known to eat all manner of insects, including deer ticks, which carry the disease.

"Most guinea hens will come back to roost at night. But if you let them run free, they're a nuisance," Committeeman Jay Newman said. "There has to be something on the books to control them if they were getting out."  Newman said residents complained about the birds frequenting people's yards and crossing busy roads.  "They don't move, from my experience," he said.

Cape May County once was home to many large poultry farms, according to the Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Even small vegetable farms usually had at least a few chickens, agricultural agent Russell Blair said.

One prize-winning turkey from Cape May County was even sent on a road trip to Iowa courtesy of the governor of New Jersey, he said.

But as the area grew more suburbanized, farms were replaced by residential neighborhoods. The guinea hens were an inexpensive way for suburban homeowners to fend off insects - mostly ticks - that frequented their wooded neighborhoods.  "Usually, it's just a hobby-type thing," Blair said.

Inmates at the Cape May County jail raised guinea hens for several years. The birds were released across the county to combat Lyme disease.  The Sheriff's Office ended the program several years ago. But the hens can still be found pecking foliage at the Cape May County Park & Zoo.

The township's ordinance calls for fines of $50 for the first offense, $75 for the second and $150 for the third. The township will have a public hearing on the ordinance Aug. 11.

"It wasn't an overwhelming problem. Some people just aren't responsible with their animals," Newman said.