A unique variant of H5N1 identified earlier this month on a Kent County, Delaware, poultry farm is just another reminder of how serious livestock producers should take avian flu.
The farm, with 125,000 birds, was infected with the D1.1 genotype of the virus, the same genotype that caused the first human avian flu death in Louisiana.
As a result, Delaware ag officials have asked poultry farmers to tighten biosecurity, including not allowing anyone who does not have a role in the operation to visit the farm, and recommending organic producers move flocks indoors. Even poultry sessions at this week’s Delaware Ag Week, which draw dozens of poultry producers from around the state, were postponed out of an abundance of caution.
Over the past 30 days, cases have started ramping up on other area poultry farms. This includes six commercial poultry farms in Michigan and one commercial farm in Ohio. Nationwide, the virus has been identified on 63 commercial poultry farms over the past 30 days with the most, 19, in California.
The Golden State is also the epicenter of the dairy avian flu outbreak with 183 new cases over the past 30 days.
Thankfully, no cases of dairy avian flu have been identified across our region as of late. The last case was in Michigan on Sept. 9.
The first round of tests from Pennsylvania’s now mandatory bulk milk testing at processing plants showed no positive samples, said Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, speaking at the Pennsylvania Farm Show last week.
To date, 10,425 samples have been tested, and nearly 100% of the state’s 4,027 dairy farms have been tested. The samples are tested through the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System, which includes Penn State University, the University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory.
The state rolled out mandatory bulk milk testing after low enrollment in two voluntary surveillance programs last year. Mandatory testing is done every 14 days.
The best way to protect your birds and dairy cows is by practicing good biosecurity. Yes, this can be inconvenient. Yes, this can be potentially costly. But remember this: The flu virus mutates all the time.
As long as there is virus out there, it will adapt to its new environment in order to continue infecting. That’s what viruses do. The last thing we need is a more lethal, more transmittable virus infecting our animals, co-workers and families.
So, here are some biosecurity tips for poultry and dairy from the Delaware Department of Agriculture:
- Limit, monitor and record any movement of people, vehicles or animals on or off your farm.
- Permit only essential workers and vehicles to enter the farm to limit the chances of bringing the virus from an outside source.
- Avoid visiting other poultry farms and any unnecessary travel off the farm.
- Disinfect equipment, vehicles, footwear and other items that come into contact with flocks.
- Keep your flock away from wild or migratory birds, especially waterfowl.
- Isolate any ill animals and contact your veterinarian.
For dairy farms, Cornell University offers the following tips:
- Pause or cancel nonessential farm visits.
- Assign a biosecurity manager to monitor the situation and develop a farm-specific biosecurity plan.
- Notify a vet if cows present symptoms such as discolored milk, decreased rumination and fever.
- Report findings of odd behaviors, and increased numbers of dead wild birds, cats, skunks or raccoons.
- Avoid importing cattle from affected farms.
- Discourage wild birds from entering farms, waterers and feed sources.
- Clean and disinfect waterers daily.
Be safe and keep your animals safe.