Issyk-Kyl –August 7: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) conducted in early August a training for poultry veterinarians and production management specialists of the region in reduction of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) risk for poultry operations and improving of profitability of the domestic poultry production.  The training was held in the framework of the USAID’s  program “Stamping Out Pandemic and Avian Influenza” (STOP AI) in the resort  “Ak Bermet”, Issyk-Kyl oblast, Kyrgyzstan.

25 poultry veterinarians and production management specialists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan attended a four-day training. Central Asia’s poultry specialists learned about the factors in a hatchery that lead to provision of healthy day-old chicks, the fundamentals of brooding and growing management, the essential elements of good poultry housing and waste management, good record keeping on production, mortality and feed consumption, and basics of poultry nutrition. Participants identified common viral, bacterial and protozoan diseases of poultry, explored the effective use of vaccination in commercial poultry production. They formulated a biosecurity plan for their farms after a biosecurity risk assessment exercise. At the end of the training, participants got familiarized with examples of HPAI outbreak response efforts in commercial poultry from around the world.

Until early 2010, the USAID STOP AI project will conduct similar trainings for more poultry industry veterinarians and production management specialists in the region.

Avian Influenza preparedness is one of the many areas, supported by the American people through the USAID. USAID is one of the largest donor organizations in the Central Asia. Its programs support Central Asia’s community organizations and democratic institutions, help develop economic sector, education, and assist the Governments in their efforts to adopt international health care practices.

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