Low-Path Avian Influenza Found on Western KY Commercial Farm

[Pathfinders]

State and federal authorities are investigating an outbreak of bird flu on a poultry farm in western Kentucky.

State Veterinarian Robert C. Stout said the strain discovered is "nonpathogenic or low-pathogenic" and poses a minimal risk to human health. Stout said it is not the "high pathogenic strain" associated with human and poultry deaths in other countries.

Stout quarantined the farm, which produces hatching eggs for Perdue Farms Inc. He said some 20,000 chickens have been euthanized.

See the full article here:

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D97DONPG0.htm

 

[speckledhen]

Someone posted about this recently. Avian flu has been around for a long, long time, so it's not all that unusual. Just be glad that the H5N1 is not in the U.S

 

[pips&peeps]

Why do people keep posting this stuff? Are we supposed to panic?

I am sure everyone in that area that needs to know about it does before we do.

 

[enola]

No, it shouldn't cause anyone to panic. But, it should cause all chicken owners to practice at least minimal bio-security on their property.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

It is so we can be informed. Just like if a tornado was heading your way, I think you would want to know.

Thank you for sharing. It's said that so many had to be put down. But that is necessary sometimes in order to control disease.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm surprised the article said they were checking a radius of 2 miles. I understood international protocal is that they have to check each flock (including small backyard flocks) within a 10 kilimeter (6.25 miles) radius so international shipments can resume. Something like this can cause problems with exports and our economy does not need any more hits right now. As an extension agent that has had to do it before explained, they had to drive down every road, knock on every door until they found someone at home and test every flock for avian flu. They do a media blitz. If they find avian flu in any of those those flocks, the 10 kilometer radius just got expanded.

It is not all that unusual. It happened in this area a couple of years ago. They did not find it any additional flocks here with it, just the one. He said it would have been a lot faster checking if they had known where all those flocks were. They were fast enough to keep it from spreading.

 

[Pathfinders]

Just to be clear, my motives in posting were not to cause panic of any sort. This was an informational post for those forum members who happen to live in Kentucky (as I do, and other members here do as well.)

I encourage everyone to check their biosecurity practices and tighten up any areas that need it.

A great article on biosecurity from http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/avian/pfs26.htm

Biosecurity has three major components:

1. Isolation
2. Traffic Control
3. Sanitation

Isolation refers to the confinement of animals within a controlled environment. A fence keeps your birds in, but it also keeps other animals out. Isolation also applies to the practice of separating birds by age group. In large poultry operations, all-in/all-out management styles allow simultaneous depopulation of facilities between flocks and allow time for periodic clean-up and disinfection to break the cycle of disease.

Traffic Control includes both the traffic onto your farm and the traffic patterns within the farm.

Sanitation addresses the disinfection of materials, people and equipment entering the farm and the cleanliness of the personnel on the farm.

Infectious diseases can be spread from farm to farm by:

* Introduction of diseased birds
* Introduction of healthy birds who have recovered from disease but are now carriers
* Shoes and clothing of visitors or caretakers who move from flock to flock
* Contact with inanimate objects (fomites) that are contaminated with disease organisms
* Carcasses of dead birds that have not been disposed of properly
* Impure water, such as surface drainage water
* Rodents, wild animals and free-flying birds
* Insects
* Contaminated feed and feed bags
* Contaminated delivery trucks, rendering trucks, live hauling trucks
* Contaminated premises through soil or old litter
* Air-borne fomites
* Egg transmission

Of all the possible breakdowns in biosecurity, the introduction of new birds and traffic pose the greatest risk to bird health. Properly managing these two factors should be a top priority on your farm.
How much biosecurity do I need?

In order to assess how much biosecurity is practical for your farm, look at these three factors.

1. Economics
2. Common Sense
3. Relative Risk

New birds represent a great risk to biosecurity because their disease status is unknown. They may have an infection or be susceptible to an infection that is already present in birds that appear normal (healthy carriers) on your farm.

While all-in/all-out management isn't feasible for many breeding farms or farms raising exotic fowl or gamebirds, it is possible to maintain a separate pen or place to isolate and quarantine all new, in-coming stock from the resident population. Isolation pens should be as far from the resident birds as possible. At least 2 weeks of quarantine is suggested; 4 weeks is better. Watch birds for any signs of illness. Diagnostic blood tests for infectious diseases can also be performed at this time.

Use only clean plastic coops for transfer of poultry. Wooden coops are difficult to clean and have been responsible for distributing poultry diseases over long distances.

Avoid putting new birds, including baby chicks, in contact with droppings, feathers, dust and debris left over from previous flocks. Some disease-causing organisms die quickly, others may survive for long periods. For examples, see Table 1.

Direct the flow of on-farm traffic from the youngest to the oldest birds. Direct the traffic flow from the resident to the isolation area. Establish a "clear zone" free of vegetation around buildings to discourage rodent and insect traffic into the buildings or pens. Use a different pair of foot-covers in the isolation area and in the resident bird area to prevent the mechanical transfer of disease organisms on footwear. Footwear should be disinfected at each site. Disinfectant footbaths may help to decrease the dose of organisms on boots. But, because footbaths can be hard to correctly maintain it is a good idea to have a supply of cleanable rubber boots or strong-soled plastic boots for visitors.

Wash your hands after handling birds in isolation or birds of different groups. Disinfect waterers and feeders on a regular basis (daily). Plan periodic clean-out, clean-up and disinfection of houses and equipment, at least once a year. Use this time to institute rodent and pest control procedures. Remember that drying and sunlight are very effective in killing many disease-causing organisms.

Dispose of dead birds promptly by rendering, burning, burying, composting or sending them to a sanitary landfill.

 

[enola]

The above post is very informative. I moved here from WV, when they have avian flu outbreak there, the ENTIRE operation is quarantined. If the kids need to go to school, they stay with relatives. If the husband works off the farm, he stays somewhere else until the quarantine is lifted. The main care-taker of the farm stays home, no shopping, no movies, no church, they go no where until the USDA says they can.

Avian flu is very serious stuff ! It has the ability to totally descimate the poultry industry. Besides the fact that untold numbers of chickens would have to be destroyed, MILLIONS of people would be without lively hoods if avian flu was not taken seriously.