British Columbia ostrich farmers ordered to cull a herd of 400 due to an avian flu outbreak are holding onto hope that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will change its mind before their kill date in just over two weeks.

The federal agency sent Universal Ostrich Farms Inc. a notice on Dec. 31 instructing their ostriches to be destroyed and disposed of by Feb. 1, but the owners are asking for more time to prove their farm should be spared.

TheyB次元官网网址檙e making the case that the flightless birds B次元官网网址� which are part of an ongoing international research project on COVID-19 antibodies B次元官网网址� can instead be used to study the mechanics of the avian flu that infected the youngest members of their herd.

Of their 400 ostriches, about 10 per cent have died since avian flu hit their property in Edgewood, approximately 200 kilometres east of Kelowna, said Katie Pasitney, who is the daughter of farm co-owner Karen Espersen. She said the flu spread after a flock of wild ducks landed nearby.

Some of the ostriches on their farm are over 30 years old, but itB次元官网网址檚 the very young ones that mainly seem to be affected by the virus, Pasitney said.

B次元官网网址淲e would be culling 300 plus absolutely healthy animals,B次元官网网址� Pasitney said.

Pasitney said the CFIA only tested two ostriches that died at the beginning of the outbreak in December. They have asked for more testing to be done, and are considering bringing in third party testing.

Espersen has been in the ostrich business since 1991. Three years ago they stopped selling meat, pivoted to conduct scientific research on the animals and founded a bioscience company to commercialize ostrich antibodies.

Since then the ostriches have been the subject of a research project in collaboration with Dr. Yasuhiro Tsukamoto, president of Kyoto Prefectural University in Japan, also known as Dr. Ostrich. HeB次元官网网址檚 been extracting COVID-19 antibodies from ostrich eggs in B.C., building on his decades of research on the antibodies in ostrich egg yolk that can block infectious diseases.

Tsukamoto said his research can be applied to avian flu.

B次元官网网址淐urrently, I have a stockpile of ostrich-derived neutralizing antibodies against H5N1 in Japan, primarily intended for use in masks. However, due to their exceptionally high neutralizing activity, these antibodies can also be applied to livestock,B次元官网网址� Tsukamoto said in an email.

In a statement to The Canadian Press, the CFIA said the World Organization for Animal Health classifies ostriches as poultry, and that B次元官网网址淗umane depopulation and disposal is required for all poultry premises infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza.B次元官网网址�

On. Jan. 10, the CFIA denied the farmB次元官网网址檚 application for an exemption path which exists for select flocks that demonstrate B次元官网网址渟ignificant genetic value to the industry.B次元官网网址�

Flocks that donB次元官网网址檛 meet the criteria of rare and valuable genetics are ordered to depopulate, the agency said.

B次元官网网址淲e do not take these decisions lightly and consider the best science in our decisions. However, once an order to destroy animals is issued, it is final.B次元官网网址�

But Pasitney said they just need more time to show the value of these animals.

She said the ostriches are on a strict quarantine protocol, pose no flight risk, and live in a remote area thatB次元官网网址檚 not in the vicinity of commercial poultry farms, with the closest city an hour and a half away. She said the only people who interact with the animals are the farm co-owners, and that they disinfect the ostrichesB次元官网网址� feeding dishes, step into foot baths at every barn entrance and sanitize the truck used to feed animals, which is no longer driven into town.

An Alberta Health Services board member, who became aware of the B.C. farm ten years ago when it started looking into studying the ostrichesB次元官网网址� immune systems, said the CFIA could monitor the day-to-day operations of the farm if thatB次元官网网址檚 of concern.

B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檝e got an opportunity. YouB次元官网网址檝e got a flock that was infected by ducks. YouB次元官网网址檝e got a flock where you know, I think the last number I heard is that 75 or 85 per cent of them are surviving. Maybe you should take a look at this and ask yourselves why are they surviving? This is a very important health item,B次元官网网址� Dr. Lyle Oberg said.

Oberg had written to the CFIA in support of the farm.

Dr. Scott Weese, an infectious disease veterinarian professor at the University of Guelph, said culling is used as an B次元官网网址渆nd toolB次元官网网址� to stop potential transmission.

B次元官网网址淎nd it will definitely do that. The question is, do we need to do that? Are there alternatives that can be done that can achieve the same thing?B次元官网网址�

He said this is where there are nuances that need to be considered, such as if the spread is containable and if culling will eradicate the disease.

In this case, Weese said avian flu is already widespread in Canada.

According to CFIA surveillance posted online, there are 3,459 positive wildlife cases in the country, and about 66 premises with infected domestic birds.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not eradicating H5N1 by culling these ostriches because itB次元官网网址檚 all over the place. And weB次元官网网址檙e probably not going to drop the broader risk overall very much because thereB次元官网网址檚 so much out there,B次元官网网址� Weese said.

Weese, who has not visited the farm, said broadly that such decisions come down to evaluating the risk in the grand scheme. Infection control inspectors are going to err on the side of eliminating risk while farmers will want to save animals, he said.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 where you get into different perspectives driving different approachesB次元官网网址� Weese said.

B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檝e got to find that sweet spot in the middle.B次元官网网址�