145.53—Terminology and classification; flocks and products.
Participating flocks, and the eggs and baby poultry produced from them, which have met the respective requirements specified in this section may be designated by the following terms and the corresponding designs illustrated in § 145.10.
(b) U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean.
A flock in which freedom from pullorum and typhoid has been demonstrated to the Official State Agency under the criteria in one of the following paragraphs (b)(1) through (5) of this section (See § 145.14 relating to the official blood test where applicable.):
(2)
It is a multiplier breeding flock, or a breeding flock composed of progeny of a primary breeding flock which is intended solely for the production of multiplier breeding flocks, and meets the following specifications as determined by the Official State Agency and the Service:
(i)
The flock is located in a State where all persons performing poultry disease diagnostic services within the State are required to report to the Official State Agency within 48 hours the source of all poultry specimens from which S. pullorum or S. gallinarum is isolated;
(ii)
The flock is composed entirely of birds that originated from U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean breeding flocks or from flocks that met equivalent requirements under official supervision; and
(iii)
The flock is located on a premises where either no poultry or a flock not classified as U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean were located the previous year; Provided, That an Authorized Testing Agent must blood test up to 300 birds per flock, as described in § 145.14, if the Official State Agency determines that the flock has been exposed to pullorum-typhoid. In making determinations of exposure and setting the number of birds to be blood tested, the Official State Agency shall evaluate the results of any blood tests, described in § 145.14(a)(1), that were performed on an unclassified flock located on the premises during the previous year; the origins of the unclassified flock; and the probability of contacts between the flock for which qualification is being sought and (a) infected wild birds, (b) contaminated feed or waste, or (c) birds, equipment, supplies, or personnel from flocks infected with pullorum-typhoid.
(3)
It is a multiplier breeding flock that originated from U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean breeding flocks or from flocks that met equivalent requirements under official supervision, and is located in a State in which it has been determined by the Service that:
(i)
All hatcheries within the State are qualified as “National Plan Hatcheries” or have met equivalent requirements for pullorum-typhoid control under official supervision;
(ii)
All hatchery supply flocks within the State, are qualified as U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean or have met equivalent requirements for pullorum-typhoid control under official supervision: Provided, That if other domesticated fowl, except waterfowl, are maintained on the same premises as the participating flock, freedom from pullorum-typhoid infection shall be demonstrated by an official blood test of each of these fowl;
(iii)
All shipments of products other than U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean, or equivalent, into the State are prohibited;
(iv)
All persons performing poultry disease diagnostic services within the State are required to report to the Official State Agency within 48 hours the source of all poultry specimens from which S. pullorum or S. gallinarum is isolated;
(v)
All reports of any disease outbreak involving a disease covered under the Plan are promptly followed by an investigation by the Official State Agency to determine the origin of the infection; Provided, That if the origin of the infection involves another State, or if there is exposure to poultry in another State from the infected flock, then the National Poultry Improvement Plan will conduct an investigation;
(vi)
All flocks found to be infected with pullorum or typhoid are quarantined until marketed or destroyed under the supervision of the Official State Agency, or until subsequently blood tested, following the procedure for reacting flocks as contained in § 145.14(a)(5), and all birds fail to demonstrate pullorum or typhoid infection;
(vii)
All poultry, including exhibition, exotic, and game birds, but excluding waterfowl, going to public exhibition shall come from U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean or equivalent flocks, or have had a negative pullorum-typhoid test within 90 days of going to public exhibition;
(viii)
Discontinuation of any of the conditions or procedures described in paragraphs (b)(3)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), and (vii) of this section, or the occurrence of repeated outbreaks of pullorum or typhoid in poultry breeding flocks within or originating within the State shall be grounds for the Service to revoke its determination that such conditions and procedures have been met or complied with. Such action shall not be taken until a thorough investigation has been made by the Service and the Official State Agency has been given an opportunity to present its views.
(4)
It is a multiplier breeding flock located in a State which has been determined by the Service to be in compliance with the provisions of paragraph (b)(3) of this section, and in which pullorum disease or fowl typhoid is not known to exist nor to have existed in hatchery supply flocks within the State during the preceding 24 months.
(5)
It is a primary breeding flock located in a State determined to be in compliance with the provisions of paragraph (b)(4) of this section, and in which a sample of 300 birds from flocks of more than 300, and each bird in flocks of 300 or less, has been officially tested for pullorum-typhoid within the past 12 months with no reactors: Provided, That a bacteriological examination monitoring program or serological examination monitoring program for game birds acceptable to the Official State Agency and approved by the Service may be used in lieu of annual blood testing: And Provided further, That when a flock is a waterfowl or exhibition poultry primary breeding flock located in a State which has been deemed to be a U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean State for the past three years, and during which time no isolation of pullorum or typhoid has been made that can be traced to a source in that State, a bacteriological examination monitoring program or a serological examination monitoring program acceptable to the Official State Agency and approved by the Service may be used in lieu of annual blood testing.
(c) U.S. M. Gallisepticum Clean.
(1)
A flock maintained in compliance with the provisions of § 147 .26 of this chapter and in which freedom from M. gallisepticum has been demonstrated under the criteria specified in paragraph (c)(1)(i) or (ii) of this section.
(i)
It is a flock in which all birds or a sample of at least 300 birds has been tested for M. gallisepticum as provided in § 145.14(b) when more than 4 months of age or upon reaching sexual maturity: Provided, That to retain this classification, a random sample of serum or egg yolk from at least 5 percent of the birds in the flock, but at least 30 birds, shall be tested at intervals of not more than 90 days: And provided further, That a sample comprised of less than 5 percent may be tested at any one time, with the approval of the Official State Agency and the concurrence of the Service, provided that a total of at least 5 percent of the birds in the flock, but at least 30 birds, is tested within each 90-day period; or
(ii)
It is a multiplier breeding flock which originated as U.S. M. Gallisepticum Clean baby poultry from primary breeding flocks and a random sample comprised of 50 percent of the birds in the flock, with a maximum of 200 birds and a minimum of 30 birds per flock, has been tested for M. gallisepticum as provided in § 145.14(b) when more than 4 months of age or upon reaching sexual maturity: Provided, That to retain this classification, the flock shall be subjected to one of the following procedures:
(A)
At intervals of not more than 90 days, a random sample of serum or egg yolk from at least 2 percent of the birds in the flock, with a minimum of 30 birds per pen, shall be tested; or
(B)
At intervals of not more than 30 days, a sample of 25 cull baby poultry produced from the flock shall be subjected to laboratory procedures acceptable to the Official State Agency and approved by the Service, for the detection and recovery of M. gallisepticum.
(2)
A participant handling U.S. M. Gallisepticum Clean products shall keep these products separate from other products in a manner satisfactory to the Official State Agency: Provided, That U.S. M. Gallisepticum Clean baby poultry from primary breeding flocks shall be produced in incubators and hatchers in which only eggs from flocks qualified under paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section are set.
(3)
U.S. M. Gallisepticum Clean baby poultry shall be boxed in clean boxes and delivered in trucks that have been cleaned and disinfected as described in § 147.24(a) of this chapter.
(d) U.S. M. Synoviae Clean.
(1)
A flock maintained in compliance with the provisions of § 147.26 of this chapter and in which freedom from Mycoplasma synoviae has been demonstrated under the criteria specified in paragraph (d)(1)(i) or (d)(1)(ii) of this section.
(i)
It is a flock in which a minimum of 300 birds has been tested for M. synoviae as provided in § 145.14(b) when more than 4 months of age: Provided, That to retain this classification, a sample of at least 150 birds shall be tested at intervals of not more than 90 days: And provided further, That a sample comprised of fewer than 150 birds may be tested at any one time with the approval of the Official State Agency and the concurrence of the Service, provided that a minimum of 150 birds is tested within each 90-day period; or
(ii)
It is a multiplier breeding flock that originated as U.S. M. Synoviae Clean chicks from primary breeding flocks and from which a sample comprised of a minimum of 75 birds has been tested for M. synoviae as provided in § 145.14(b) when more than 4 months of age: Provided, That to retain this classification, the flock shall be subjected to one of the following procedures:
(A)
At intervals of not more than 90 days, a sample of 50 birds shall be tested: Provided, That a sample of fewer than 50 birds may be tested at any one time, provided that a minimum of 30 birds per flock with a minimum of 15 birds per pen, whichever is greater, is tested each time and a total of at least 50 birds is tested within each 90-day period; or
(B)
At intervals of not more than 30 days, egg yolk testing shall be conducted in accordance with § 147.8 of this chapter.
(2)
A participant handling U.S. M. Synoviae Clean products shall keep those products separate from other products in a manner satisfactory to the Official State Agency: Provided, That U.S. M. Synoviae Clean chicks from primary breeding flocks shall be produced in incubators and hatchers in which only eggs from flocks qualified under paragraph (d)(1)(i) or (d)(1)(ii) of this section are set.
(3)
U.S. M. Synoviae Clean chicks shall be boxed in clean boxes and delivered in trucks that have been cleaned and disinfected as described in § 147.24(a) of this chapter.
(e) U.S. H5/H7 Avian Influenza Clean.
This program is intended to be the basis from which the breeding-hatchery industry may conduct a program for the prevention and control of the H5 and H7 subtypes of avian influenza. It is intended to determine the presence of the H5 and H7 subtypes of avian influenza in waterfowl, exhibition poultry, and game bird breeding flocks through routine serological surveillance of each participating breeding flock. A flock, and the hatching eggs and chicks produced from it, will qualify for this classification when the Official State Agency determines that it has met one of the following requirements:
(1)
It is a primary breeding flock in which a minimum of 30 birds has been tested negative for antibodies to the H5 and H7 subtypes of avian influenza by the agar gel immunodiffusion test specified in § 147.9 of this chapter when more than 4 months of age. To retain this classification:
(ii)
A sample of fewer than 30 birds may be tested, and found to be negative, at any one time if all pens are equally represented and a total of 30 birds are tested within each 90-day period.
(2)
It is a multiplier breeding flock in which a minimum of 30 birds has been tested negative for antibodies to the H5 and H7 subtypes of avian influenza by the agar gel immunodiffusion test specified in § 147.9 of this chapter when more than 4 months of age. To retain this classification:
(ii)
A sample of fewer than 30 birds may be tested, and found to be negative, at any one time if all pens are equally represented and a total of 30 birds are tested within each 180-day period.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 0579-0007)