145.73—Terminology and classification; flocks and products.
Participating flocks, and the eggs and chicks 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 paragraph (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this section: Provided, That a flock qualifying by means of a blood test shall be tested within the past 12 months, except that the retesting of a participating flock which is retained for more than 12 months shall be conducted a minimum of 4 weeks after the induction of molt. (See § 145.14 relating to the official blood test where applicable.)
(i)
The primary breeding flock is located in a State in which pullorum disease or fowl typhoid is not known to exist nor to have existed in hatchery supply flocks during the preceding 12 months and in which it has been determined by the Service that:
(A)
All hatcheries within the State are qualified as “National Plan Hatcheries” or have met equivalent requirements for pullorum-typhoid control under official supervision;
(B)
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;
(C)
All shipments of products other than U.S. Pullorum-Typhoid Clean, or equivalent, into the State are prohibited;
(D)
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;
(E)
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 officials administering the National Poultry Improvement Plan will conduct an investigation;
(F)
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;
(G)
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; and
(H)
Discontinuation of any of the conditions or procedures described in paragraphs (b)(2)(i)(A) through (b)(2)(i)(G) 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; and
(ii)
In the primary breeding flock, 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 with no reactors: Provided, That a bacteriological examination monitoring program acceptable to the Official State Agency and approved by the Service may be used in lieu of blood testing.
(c) U.S. M. Gallisepticum Clean.
(1)
A flock maintained in compliance with the provisions of § 147.26 of this subchapter and in which freedom from M. gallisepticum has been demonstrated under the criteria specified in paragraph (c)(1)(i) 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: Provided, That to retain this classification, a minimum of 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, if all pens are equally represented and a total of 150 birds is tested within each 90-day period.
(2)
A participant handling U.S. M. Gallisepticum Clean products shall handle only products of equivalent status.
(3)
U.S. M. Gallisepticum 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 subchapter.
(d) U.S. S. Enteritidis Clean.
This classification is intended for primary egg-type breeders wishing to assure their customers that the hatching eggs and multiplier chicks produced are certified free of Salmonella enteritidis.
(1)
A flock and the hatching eggs and chicks produced from it which have met the following requirements as determined by the Official State Agency:
(i)
The flock originated from a U.S. S. Enteritidis Clean flock, or meconium from the chick boxes and a sample of chicks that died within 7 days after hatching are examined bacteriologically for salmonella at an authorized laboratory. Cultures from positive samples shall be serotyped.
(A)
Pelletized feed shall contain either no animal protein or only animal protein products produced under the Animal Protein Products Industry (APPI) Salmonella Education/Reduction Program. The protein products must have a minimum moisture content of 14.5 percent and must have been heated throughout to a minimum temperature of 190 °F, or above, or to a minimum temperature of 165 °F for at least 20 minutes, or to a minimum temperature of 184 °F under 70 lbs. pressure during the manufacturing process.
(B)
Mash feed may contain no animal protein other than an APPI animal protein product supplement manufactured in pellet form and crumbled: Provided, That mash feed may contain nonpelleted APPI animal protein product supplements if the finished feed is treated with a salmonella control product approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
(iv)
The flock is maintained in compliance with §§ 147.21, 147.24(a), and 147.26 of this subchapter. Rodents and other pests should be effectively controlled;
(v)
Environmental samples shall be collected from the flock by an Authorized Agent, as described in § 147.12 of this subchapter, when the flock is 2 to 4 weeks of age. The samples shall be examined bacteriologically for group D salmonella at an authorized laboratory. Cultures from positive samples shall be serotyped. The Authorized Agent shall also collect samples every 30 days after the first sample has been collected.
(vi)
If a Salmonella vaccine is used that causes positive reactions with pullorum-typhoid antigen, one of the following options must be utilized.
(A)
Administer the vaccine after the pullorum-typhoid testing is done as described in paragraph (d)(1)(vii) of this section.
(B)
If an injectable bacterin or live vaccine that does not spread is used, keep a sample of 350 birds unvaccinated and banded for identification until the flock reaches at least 4 months of age. Following negative serological and bacteriological examinations as described in paragraph (d)(1)(vii) of this section, vaccinate the banded, non-vaccinated birds.
(vii)
Blood samples from 300 non-vaccinated birds as described in paragraph (d)(1)(vi) of this section shall be tested with either pullorum antigen or by a federally licensed Salmonella enteritidis enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test when the flock is more than 4 months of age. All birds with positive or inconclusive reactions, up to a maximum of 25 birds, shall be submitted to an authorized laboratory and examined for the presence of group D salmonella, as described in § 147.11 of this subchapter. Cultures from positive samples shall be serotyped.
(viii)
Hatching eggs are collected as quickly as possible and are handled as described in § 147.22 of this subchapter and are sanitized or fumigated (see § 147.25 of this subchapter).
(ix)
Hatching eggs produced by the flock are incubated in a hatchery that is in compliance with the recommendations in §§ 147.23 and 147.24(b) of this subchapter, and sanitized either by a procedure approved by the Official State Agency or fumigated (see § 147.25 of this subchapter).
(2)
A flock shall not be eligible for this classification if Salmonella enteritidis serotype enteritidis (SE) is isolated from a specimen taken from a bird in the flock. Isolation of SE from an environmental or other specimen, as described in paragraph (d)(1)(v) of this section, will require bacteriological examination for SE in an authorized laboratory, as described in § 147.11(a) of this subchapter, of a random sample of 60 live birds from a flock of 5,000 birds or more, or 30 live birds from a flock with fewer than 5,000 birds. If only one specimen is found positive for SE, the participant may request bacteriological examination of a second sample, equal in size to the first sample, from the flock. If no SE is recovered from any of the specimens in the second sample, the flock will be eligible for the classification.
(3)
A non-vaccinated flock shall be eligible for this classification if SE is isolated from an environmental sample collected from the flock in accordance with paragraph (d)(1)(v) of this section: Provided, That testing is conducted in accordance with paragraph (d)(1)(vii) of this section each 30 days and no positive samples are found.
(4)
In order for a hatchery to sell products of this classification, all products handled shall meet the requirements of the classification.
(5)
This classification may be revoked by the Official State Agency if the participant fails to follow recommended corrective measures. The Official State Agency shall not revoke the participant's classification until the participant has been given an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with rules of practice adopted by the Official State Agency.
(e) U.S. M. Synoviae Clean.
(1)
A flock maintained in compliance with the provisions of § 147.26 of this subchapter and in which freedom from M. synoviae has been demonstrated under the criteria specified in paragraph (e)(1)(i) 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 if all pens are equally represented and a total of 150 birds is tested within each 90-day period.
(2)
A participant handling U.S. M. Synoviae Clean products shall handle only products of equivalent status.
(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 subchapter.
(f) U.S. 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 avian influenza. It is intended to determine the presence of avian influenza in primary breeding chickens 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 they have met the following requirements:
(1)
It is a primary breeding flock in which a minimum of 30 birds have been tested negative for antibodies to avian influenza when more than 4 months of age. To retain this classification:
(i)
A sample of at least 30 birds must be tested negative at intervals of 90 days: Provided, That primary spent fowl must be tested within 30 days prior to movement to disposal; or
(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 is tested within each 90-day period.