146.43—Terminology and classification; meat-type turkey slaughter plants.
Participating meat-type turkey slaughter plants which have met the respective requirements specified in this section may be designated by the following terms and the corresponding designs illustrated in § 146.9 of this part :
(a) U.S. H5/H7 Avian Influenza Monitored.
This program is intended to be the basis from which the meat-type turkey industry may conduct a program to monitor for the H5/H7 subtypes of avian influenza. It is intended to determine the presence of avian influenza in meat-type turkeys through routine surveillance of each participating meat-type turkey slaughter plant. A participating meat-type turkey slaughter plant will qualify for this classification when the Official State Agency determines that it has met one of the following requirements:
(1)
It is a meat-type turkey slaughter plant that accepts only meat-type turkeys from flocks where a minimum of 6 birds per flock has tested negative for antibodies to type A avian influenza virus with an approved test no more than 21 days prior to slaughter. Positive samples shall be further tested by an authorized laboratory using the hemagglutination inhibition test to detect antibodies to the hemagglutinin subtypes H5 and H7. It is recommended that samples be collected from flocks over 10 weeks of age with respiratory signs such as coughing, sneezing, snicking, sinusitis, or rales; depression; or decreases in food or water intake.
(2)
It is a meat-type turkey slaughter plant that has an ongoing active and diagnostic surveillance program for the H5/H7 subtypes of avian influenza in which the number of birds tested is equivalent to the number required in paragraph (a)(1) and that is approved by the Official State Agency and the Service.