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Foam-Based Mass Emergency Depopulation of Floor-Reared Meat-Type Poultry Operations

E. Benson^*,1, G. W. Malone, R. L. Alphin, M. D. Dawson, C. R. Pope and G. L. Van Wicklen^*

^* Department of Bioresources Engineering, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, and Operations Research, University of Delaware, Newark 19716

¹ Corresponding author: ebenson{at}udel.edu

Current control strategies for avian influenza and other highly contagious poultry diseases often include quarantine, depopulation, and disposal of infected birds. For biosecurity reasons, on-farm depopulation and disposal methods are preferred. The options for mass depopulation are limited, as reported by the "2000 Report of the AVMA Panel on Euthanasia." Current depopulation techniques may have excessive labor requirements, are not appropriate for all house types, and may not be suitable for large-scale emergency implementation. A procedure has been developed that uses foam to rapidly form a blanket over the birds. The procedure requires relatively few people, can be performed in a variety of house types, and is compatible with in-house composting. Results from 2 experiments using foam for depopulation are presented in this paper. These studies have shown that foams are comparable to the CO₂ polyethylene tent procedure in time to death in small groups and that the foam is faster as group size increases. Adding CO₂ to the foam does not enhance its efficacy. Based on corticosterone levels, the study also showed that the foams are no more stressful than the CO₂ depopulation method. Necropsy and histological examination of birds indicated that blood was present to some degree in the trachea, syrinx, and bronchial tree in broilers subjected to foam with CO₂, foam without CO₂, and CO₂ polyethylene tent methods of depopulation. Foam caused a rapid onset of airway occlusion. In both foam- and CO₂-euthanized broilers, lesions are consistent with anoxia or hypoxia. This suggests that foam acts by physically induced hypoxia, whereas CO₂ causes chemically induced hypoxia.

Key Words: broiler chicken • mass euthanasia • depopulation • avian influenza • foam

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