NPIP INFORMATION
SC NPIP Certification
NPIP certification is for breeder flocks. If you have a breeding flock, then the NPIP program is for you. If you move birds or hatching eggs across state lines, then being a NPIP Clean certified flock is required. Please read everything below. If after reading you are still interested for your breeder flock to become NPIP certified for Pullorum Clean status - please contact Dr. Helm (jhelm@clemson.edu, desk 803-726-7802, cell 803-260-6442) to set up an appointment to begin the process (Pullorum testing and site inspection). If you also show or move birds or hatching eggs to North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Texas, Pennsylvania, besides being NPIP Pullorum Clean, your flock will also need to become NPIP Avian Influenza (AI) Clean, since these states have avian influenza testing requirements. If you are moving hatching eggs, babies, or older birds across state lines (whether to live there or just to go to a show), then it is required to become NPIP Certified in order to meet the other state’s entry requirements and the new Federal Interstate Movement Law requirements. Birds either coming into SC or leaving SC need to be tested negative for 2 salmonella diseases of poultry called Pullorum and Typhoid, birds need to be individually identified (State approved leg/wing bands), and need official movement documents. As a NPIP Certified participant, your breeder birds will need to be tested for Pullorum-Typhoid every year and your premises inspected every year. The inspection is to make sure that your bird pens and buildings for brooding or holding the incubators/hatchers are clean and orderly without storage items or garbage lying around, rats and mice are not running around, and the pens and machines are cleaned out routinely; and to be sure you are maintaining the required NPIP records. NPIP is about disease monitoring, sanitation, and record keeping. SC residents, over 18 years of age, can become a SC private NPIP tester by taking our NPIP testers course. I send out NPIP Tester's class announcements on my SC Small Flock email list. NPIP Breeder Program Requirements 1. Testing requirements for NPIP Pullorum-Typhoid Clean: a. For the first time to qualify your premises as Pullorum-Typhoid Clean, 100% (all poultry-type birds on the farm, breeders and others, but not pigeons or doves) need to be tested negative. A private tester will Pullorum test the birds (for turkeys to be Pullorum Clean breeders there is a separate lab test). b. After that the following birds are Pullorum tested during the annual retesting: (1) breeders and replacement breeders, (2) birds used to sit on eggs, (3) birds used to brood babies, (4) any show birds, and (5) and other birds on the farm that have contact with these tested birds (beak to beak touching). A private SC NPIP Licensed Tester can do the annual retesting of the flock. 2. Testing requirements for NPIP Avian Influenza (AI) Clean: a. Some states (GA, NC, FL, VA, PA, TX, etc.) require that poultry entering their state are individually tested negative for AI or come from breeder flocks that are classified as NPIP AI Clean. b. Flocks must also be NPIP Pullorum-Typhoid Clean. c. Flocks will be sampled every 6 months for AI. The maximum number of birds sampled is up to 30 birds per species type (chickens, turkeys, guineas, etc.). d. AI samples (throat swabs) are collected by a Clemson Livestock Inspector and submitted to the Clemson Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory for PCR testing. There is a fee for this test, $35.00 for every 11 birds (1 PCR test). The owner pays, at minimum, for the 2 PCR tests ($70.00) every 6 months -- sometimes there is USDA grant funding to help pay for the additional testing required. 3. Individual Official Identification requirements: a. All birds tested for Pullorum and/or AI must be identified with an Official NPIP State band (leg or wing band, no matter which State it is). Babies too small in size to hold a band at the time of testing can be banded later. b. All birds crossing state lines for any reason (interstate movement for sale, show, etc.) mus