Avian Influenza biosecurity measures for poultry owners, general public
According to the United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) County Executive Director for Cottonwood and Jackson Counties, Linda Stuckenbroker, there are many poultry flocks of all sizes in the immediate area – and all poultry flocks are at risk of contracting Avian Influenza (AI). AI is a disease in domestic poultry, such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, quail, ducks and geese. This disease may impact anyone who owns poultry; including urban or backyard poultry.
States Stuckenbroker, “This includes large scale poultry flocks for commercial use, along with small backyard poultry farms with just a few chickens and/or turkeys for butchering for home use, small backyard poultry growers with just a few laying hens for egg production for home use or for selling at farmers’ markets – and backyard 4-H and FFA poultry projects. The list is lengthy and includes anyone and everyone that raises one or more poultry – whether for commercial or home use.”
Stuckenbroker noted that the USDA has received many questions as to who is impacted and what can be done to help stop the spread of the deadly virus.
In order to help flock owners and poultry owners of any size to keep their birds healthy by preventing disease – biosecurity is a must. Introductions of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) comes from waterfowl (ducks and geese) and gulls that come to Minnesota. Once poultry are infected, they can spread the disease to new flocks.
Below are some simple tips provided by the USDA for all people to follow in regards to handling live poultry during this very risky, highly contagious and vulnerable AI virus outbreak:
Biosecurity Steps to Protect Your Flock
1. Keep your distance (separating your poultry from disease introduction). Some examples include –
* Restrict access from wildlife and wild birds to your birds by use of enclosed shelter and fencing of the outdoor areas. Use of smaller mesh hardware cloth, which allows exclusion of wild birds, while still allowing outdoor exposure.
* Caretakers should not have contact with other poultry or birds prior to contact with their own birds. Restrict access to your poultry if your visitors have birds of their own.
* Keep different special of poultry and age groups separated due to differences in susceptibility.
2. At your own setting, what can you do to prevent your birds from contact with other birds that could introduce HPAI?
* Keep it clean (cleaning and disinfecting).
* Keep feeders and waters clean and out of reach of wild birds.
* Clean up feed spills.
* Change feeding practices if wild birds continue to be presesnt.
* Use dedicated or clean clothing and foot wear when working with poultry.
* Clean and disinfect equipment that comes in contact with your birds, such as shovels and rakes.
* Conduct frequent cleaning and disinfecting of housing areas and equipment to limit contact of birds with their waste.
3. Evaluate your practices. Is it clean, or is there room for improvement?
* Don’t haul disease home.
* Keep new birds or returning birds separated from the introduction to the rest of the flock for at least 30 days.
* Do not return dirty crate or other equipment back to the property without cleaning and disinfecting. This also includes the tires on vehicles and trailers.
4. Take a look and be critical. Is that site where you have set up a quarantine really separated well enough to keep your flock safe?
* Ask yourself, where do you clean crates?
* And, can the runoff get to the birds?
5. Don’t” borrow” disease from your neighbors.
* Don’t share equipment or reuse materials like egg cartons from neighbors and other bird owners because you could be “borrowing” disease.
6. Do you have what you need to separate yourself and your birds from your friends and neighbors and their birds? Now is the time to get the equipment and supplies you need to make that possible.
