Originally from: mona parr
                        
LIVESTOCK FARMERS URGED TO TAKE STEPS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF BOTULISM IN THEIR HERDS STEMMING FROM USE OF POULTRY LITTER

Livestock farmers are being urged to dispose of poultry litter and carcases properly following a marked increase in cases of suspected cattle botulism in England and Wales. From 1997 to 2002, the Veterinary Laboratories Agency investigated an average of four botulism incidents each year but 20 potential botulism outbreaks were investigated last year.The VLA said there was evidence that litter from deep-litter broiler houses was the cause of disease in many of the recent outbreaks.Investigations have revealed that affected cattle had direct or indirect contact with poultry litter when it was used as bedding for housed animals, as a fertiliser on grazing land and when it was stored in or adjacent to fields where cattle were grazing. Cases have also occurred when cattle were fed silage from fields fertilised with poultry litter.Losses have varied from a death of a single animal to the loss of up to 80 per cent of the herd. Botulism in cattle causes a progressive paralysis, beginning with stock becoming unsteady on their feet and ending several hours later in death.When botulism is suspected in food animals, the Food Standards Agency require that meat and milk are withheld from entering the food chain for two weeks after diagnosis of the last clinical case within the herd.Alick Simmons, head of Defra's veterinary epidemiology and zoonosis division, said that while there were benefits from recycling of poultry litter as fertiliser on farmland, farmers had to ensure that they were complying with the law.Spreading poultry litter on land which contained carcases or parts of carcases was illegal and put at risk the health of their cattle and possibly that of their neighbours, he added.Defra/VLA recommend that the following actions are taken to reduce the risk of disease and economic loss.
Poultry carcases and carcase material must be collected and disposed of in accordance with the Animal By-Products Regulations 2003, ie by rendering or incineration.
Poultry litter should not be used as fertiliser on the surface of grazing land or land used for conserving hay or silage.
Poultry litter that is recycled into agricultural land must not contain poultry carcases or carcase material.
Poultry litter should not be used as bedding material for livestock. Poultry litter should be disposed of by incineration, deep ploughing or burial.
Facilities or equipment used for poultry litter transport and diposal should not be used for storing, mixing or distributing feeding stuffs.
Access of scavenging domestic and wild animals, birds or livestock to stored litter should be prevented.
Good personal hygiene precautions should be observed when handling litter because poultry litter may contain a range of human pathogens.
 Notes for editors1 Botulism is caused by either ingestion or preformed toxins produced by the bacterium "Clostridium botulinum" in decaying crops, vegetation or carcase material. Poultry litter may be a source of "Clostridium botulinum" organisms, spores or toxins. Botulism is not a notifiable disease. 2 The Animal By-Products Regulations 2003 (SI 1484) provides for the administration and enforcement of Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 which prohibits the composting of poultry which die on farm and the application to land of manure or poultry litter containing carcase material. Local authorities are responsible for enforcement.
3 A letter from the VLA is today published in the Veterinary Record, providing advice to vets on the issue.