The proposal was put forward at the first China-ASEAN symposium on human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), which opened in Beijing yesterday. Teamwork pivotal to fight against avian flu. The idea is to facilitate the sharing of information, improve capacity building, and strengthen cross-border institutional and operational coordination, Wang Longde, China's vice-health minister, said. It is expected to bridge some major intra-regional gaps, which, according to a...

Yet a small ostrich farming industry does exist in the desert outside Cairo and ostrich meat is showing up in local steak houses and supermarket delis. The reason why so many [of the original] farms have shut down is that a lot of the businessmen who went into this business had no idea about ostrich farming, says Atef Ali Fahmy, owner of Egy Alfa for Import & Export, which operates a 100-feddan farm with over 200 ostriches. The reason why so many [of the original] farms have shut down is...

Kurt Kaiser is celebrating his 50th year in farming, and plans to scale back his operation next year and eventually retire. Imports have changed the landscape so much, he said, that generations of farms have disappeared. The reason is representative of the alarm farming organizations have been sounding for years: it is too difficult to compete with a worldwide market that can provide everything he grows, but cheaper, lower quality and year round. Countries importing food follow basic...

Gerard and Claire Collins keep thousands of breeding birds on their farm, whose fertile eggs are sent on to hatcheries to produce chicks. The Collins family, who run a poultry and dairy farm in Lisnaskea, installed a series of wireless antenna allowing them to access their broadband connection and submit vital information to Dungannon company Moy Park ltd. Every day the pair have to record reams of vital information needed for the smooth running of the poultry unit - number of eggs laid,...

Governors, parents, students and teachers teamed up to complete the work during the spring term and the poultry is now settled in its new accommodation. The birds have bright airy pens and are laying and breeding well. Diss Mercury - School's revamped animal house opened. School's revamped animal house opened. HARLESTON'S Archbishop Sancroft High School has opened its upgraded and improved Animal House facilities where pupils learn about animal husbandry and livestock management. Teacher...