Kill millions of birds or let avian flu run its course?
Factory farms are breading grounds for bird flu. Farmers regularly cull (kill) millions of poultry in order to keep bird flu at bay even though it doesn't stop the disease from reappearing in the next new flock of birds. However, there may be natural ways that can actually stop the spread.
Preventing and controlling bird flu naturally
Let the virus run its course
While the USDA requires farms where bird flu is detected to destroy all their poultry, California passed legislation allowing farms that do not raise their animals for food to permit the virus to run its course. Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary did this successfully in 2023, as the New York Times reported.
Some animal welfare advocates, pointing to recent outbreaks that were allowed to run their course, question whether killing every bird on an affected farm is even the right approach. When H5N1 hit Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary in California in February 2023, killing three birds, the farm’s operators steeled themselves for a state-mandated culling. Instead, California agriculture officials, citing a recently created exemption for farms that do not produce food, said they would spare the birds as long as strict quarantine measures were put in place for 120 days.
Over the next few weeks, the virus claimed 26 of the farm’s 160 chickens, ducks and turkeys, but the others survived, even those that had appeared visibly ill, according to Christine Morrissey, the sanctuary’s executive director.
Morrissey said this shows that mass cullings might not be necessary.
She said the experience suggested that mass cullings might be unnecessary. “There needs to be more research and effort put into finding other ways of responding to this virus,” Ms. Morrissey said, “because depopulation is horrifying and it’s not solving the problem at hand.”
Nutritional interventions
Hilary Pavlidis, Director, Poultry Research & Technical Service, Diamond V writes in Poultry World that nutritional interventions can be successful in improving the avian immune system in order to keep them healthy and productive.
Many factors can impact the performance of the avian immune system, which is critical to poultry health and productivity. Fortunately, certain nutritional interventions can positively affect immune function, as shown through research over the past decade.
After reviewing the bird's immune system, which is very similar to the way the human immune system functions, she says that a better understanding of the avian immune system is key to properly fortifying their diet:
A number of studies have investigated how interventions via feed or water can help support the innate and adaptive immune responses. . . .
. . . Poultry’s successful defence against invading pathogens requires a coordinated effort between both the innate and adaptive immune responses and their various components. Much more research is underway to understand how natural products delivered through feed or water can support the optimal, efficient functioning of the bird’s immune system. (Emphasis added.)
Nature's pharmacy
Studies show that herbs and natural constituents can mitigate bird flu in birds and humans.
Egyptian researchers, Ahmed R. Gado, et al, reviewed studies which showed that botanicals may be more effective and cost-effective as preventatives and therapeutics for bird flu in fowl than synthetic drugs and vaccines.
. . . the use of antiviral drug families . . . to fight influenza viruses in humans limits their application in animals and poultry to reduce the development of drug resistance as much as possible. Moreover, commercial application of those drugs seems to be very expensive and unaffordable by many countries . . . Since long time herbal and traditional plants had been used to prevent and control many diseases and health problems . . . As a result, herbal medicine is gaining more importance in the anti-influenza research owing to their widespread availability and easy application in the diet . . .
Therefore, the aim of this review is to present and evaluate all in vivo studies done on poultry species as a step and a guide for scientists, field practitioners and pharmaceutical corporations in developing new effective herbal-based drugs for prevention and control of AIV in poultry..
The image below (page 4) by Gado, et al, shows the different herbals and ways they can control and prevent avian flu, including to increase effectiveness of vaccines.
This Indonesian study found herbals with antimicrobial properties could prevent disease in poultry. The Indonesian government is interested in using natural products because the overuse of antimicrobials (antibiotics) has increased resistance to these drugs, authors Tyagita Hartady, et al, stated.
Poultry meat consumption is increasing worldwide but the overuse of antimicrobials for prevention and treatment of diseases has increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR), triggering a major public health issue. To restrict AMR emergence, the government supports the optimization of natural products that are safe and easy to obtain with minimal side effects on poultry, humans, and the environment. Various studies have explored the potential of herbs in animal health for their antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and body weight gain properties. Therefore, this study reviewed plants with potential application in avian species by summarizing and discussing the mechanisms and prophylactic/therapeutic potential of these compounds and their plant origin extracts.
The image below, Table 1, is of Hartady, et al's, list of herbals that act as antivirals in poultry:
Among the other tables in study are those that list herbal extracts that are antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, antioxidant, immunomodulator, and even anticancer in poultry. There is also a list of herbal extracts that promote weight gain in poultry; antibiotics are currently used for that purpose.
Other studies, curated by GreenMedInfo.com, are listed below:
- Avian influenza virus transmission is suppressed in chickens fed Lactobacillus paracasei expressing the 3D8 single-chain variable fragment protein – Lactobacillus paracasei is a lactic acid bacteria that’s commonly used as a probiotic culture in dairy foods.
- Compounds found within Andrographis have potent anti-influenza activity against H1N1 and Avian Flu. Andrographolide is a botanical constituent that can help modulate the immune system.
- Dietary selenium supplementation enhances antiviral immunity in chickens challenged with low pathogenic avian influenza virus subtype H9N2. Selenium is an essential mineral.
- Effect of baicalin on bacterial secondary infection and inflammation caused by H9N2 AIV infection in chickens. Biacalin is a Chinese herbal medicine.
- Thymoquinone and curcumin significantly enhanced immune responsiveness and suppress pathogenicity of influenza viruses in turkeys.
- Zataria multiflora essential oil reduces replication rate of avian influenza virus (H9N2 subtype) in challenged broiler chicks. Zataria multiflora is a thymelike plant with pharmacological benefits.
Birds naturally self-medicate
Cool Green Science explains that birds and other wildlife self-medicate using medicinal plants.
One example given is of the starling. The bird incorporates specific plants in its nest, giving its tiny babies an immune boost:
A non-human example [of self-medicating] concerns starlings. These birds deliberately choose specific plants (that they find with their sense of smell) to include in their nests. The aromatic compounds emitted by these plants boost immune systems of chicks and reduce their bacterial loads.
It should come as no surprise, then, that medicinal plants may be used to successfully prevent and control bird flu.
The information contained in this article is for educational and information purposes only and is not intended as health, medical, financial or legal advice. Always consult a physician, lawyer or other qualified professional regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition, health objectives or legal or financial issues.
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