Firefighting foam approved for AI chicken culls

Water-based foam can be used to quickly kill large quantities of birds, as an alternative to the traditional carbon dioxide, the Agriculture Department was quoted as saying.

The department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service was cited as saying that gassing birds has various difficulties associated with it – more workers are exposed to potentially infected birds, and maintaining an adequate concentration of gas can also cause problems.

Foam can be used to suffocate chickens and turkeys raised primarily for meat, to contain deadly bird flu, said APHIS spokeswoman Karen Eggert.

Foam also can be used in outbreaks of rapidly spreading disease such as Exotic Newcastle, a fatal respiratory virus in birds, when state or federal officials deem it necessary.

Animal rights advocates argue against using the foam because there are more humane methods.

“All of the top animal welfare scientists agree that using inert gases is the most humane way,” said Matt Prescott, spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.