Turkey kills 764,000 birds to control avian flu

[lovuian]

Turkey kills 764,000 birds to control avian flu
Indonesia reports 13-year-old girl has died from the virus

Updated: 9:00 a.m. ET Jan. 16, 2006
ANKARA - Turkey slaughtered tens of thousands of birds on Monday as it battled to stamp out avian flu and Indonesia said a 13-year-old girl had died of the virus at the weekend.

Human victims had been confined to east Asia until this month, when three infected children from the same family died in eastern Turkey, showing the virus had reached the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Turkey can still prevent bird flu from becoming firmly established among its flocks, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday, striking a more optimistic note than it did a few days ago

more...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10876066/

[htuttle]

1. That is a strange headline

[NV Whino]

2. Took the words right out of my mouth.

:)

[VirginiaDem]

5. you have to read down through the article to learn

that the 764K is what they've killed over the last two weeks or so. They've killed tens of thousands in the last couple of days. The Indonesia part is just the subheading.

This seems to me a very positive step that greatly (if not sufficiently) reduces the chance of this going pandemic. National leaders know they have a vested interest in stopping this thing early. I'm not defending the global response--I'm just pointing out that this is the type of issue where quick action is relatively likely as leaders have nothing to gain from a pandemic and they know it.

I don't mean this as crassly as it sounds but I wonder about world chicken/turkey prices. Have they skyrocketed; if not, why not? We are absolutely fascinated with the price of oil (for good reason) but why not other commodities? Chicken is the world's protein staple--everybody eats a whole lot of it. And what effect does this have on developing nations? I'm sure there have been studies and articles; I'm just curious.

[Sufi Marmot]

8. I wouldn't think the cullings would affect world prices...

Just a guess but I would assume that since most of the world raises poulty, there isn't a lot of international trade in that commodity and therefore there isn't really a fluid world market like there is for oil. If I'm not mistaken it doesn't take a lot of special resources or equipment to raise poulty so it can be done pretty much anywhere where grain is available. (Disclaimer: I am not an economist so if I'm wrong here feel free to set me straight...) In Turkey itself I think the cullings are likely to cause great hardship in the rural villages that depend on those birds for a substantial portion of their diet and/or their income. I would also guess that the price of other livestock such as sheep and cows, which are raised all over Eastern Turkey, will rise accordingly.

-SM

[Nimrod2005]

3. Do they kill the birds because they are no longer good to eat? or

do they kills them because they could infect humans?

[Hoooweee]

4. maybe it's a sacrifice?

:shrug:
I'd hope they at least burn them to create a pleasing odor for the deity

[VirginiaDem]

6. To stop infection and to save the birds not yet as risk

I would assume. Wouldn't the consumption problem be more of a problem when preparing the birds? I dunno...

[Jose Diablo]

7. Did they invite Cheney to participate?

I understand he loves shooting birds.

[Endangered Specie]

9. Wouldn't be the first time they've done something like THAT...

(Armenia anyone?)