Starting from October 2009, CIVAS will conduct a study on free-range duck farms in Tangerang, Subang, and Indramayu district for 6 months. This study was conducted based on the results of a study by CIVAS and FAO in 2006 on free-range duck farming systems in Indonesia and in response to the results of a study conducted by CIVAS in collaboration with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bogor Agricultural University (FKH-IPB) and Colorado State University (CSU) in 2008 on the detection of Avian Influenza virus in free-range duck farms in Indonesia.

This study is named Longitudinal Study on Avian Influenza in Free-Range Duck Farms in Tangerang, Subang, and Indramayu Districts. Objectives of this study is to estimate viral persistenc and duration of AI virus shedding in free-range ducks, to estimate transmission efficiency of AI virus in free-range ducks, to detect the presence of other AI viruses besides H5 in free-range ducks, and to understand the husbandry practices and movement dynamics of free-range ducks more specifically.

In this study 18 free-range duck farms in 3 districts were selected to be observed for the next 6 months. The farms were chosen based on results of the study in 2008 on AI virus detection in free-range duck farms. In each farm, 30 ducks were placed as sentinels. The health status of each sentinel duck will be followed individually throughout the study. Three types of samples will be collected from each sentinel duck; the samples will be oropharyngeal swab, cloacal swab, and blood serum samples. All samples will be tested at the FKH-IPB – CSU virology laboratory which is located at FKH-IPB.

Last Tuesday, October 6, 2009, the first sample collection from 6 duck farms in Tangerang district was conducted. Sampling was conducted by a team from CIVAS with the assistance of officers from the Livestock Service Office of Tangerang District. Next week, similar activities will be conducted in Subang and Indramayu district. Sampling from farms will be conducted in each district once a month for the next 6 months. (rie)