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Illinois poultry specialists: biosecurity will help avoid HPAI

Illinois extension poultry specialists say producers of any size need to practice good biosecurity to keep avian influenza out of the state.  Small Farms Educator Andy Larson says even backyard poultry producers need to take precautions against infections that, in other states, have come from migrating wild birds.

“One of the best things that you can do is keep an obvious physical segregation and separation from any water or soil that has been in contact with those kind of migratory waterfowl,” said Larson Thursday, during a conference call with reporters and poultry producers.

Larson says it’s popular among small poultry producers to have gatherings for the purpose of touring each other’s farms to compare notes, but he says that’s not such a good idea at the moment.

“If you’re going to be moving from one flock location to another, do it in the middle of the summer when it’s nice and hot and most of this HPAI (high pathogenic avian influenza) should have at least temporarily died down,” said Larson.  “But even when you’re doing that, think about disinfecting footwear and things like that when you go from one poultry situation into the other.”

Larson says the good news for Illinois poultry producers is that avian flu has not been detected in the state yet.

“I’m sorry that this is an issue for you backyard [producer] folks,” said Larson.  “I know that sometimes your birds can almost be like pets and like family, but the good side of the message today is that it has not been located or confirmed in Illinois at this point.  We need to take steps to make sure we stay that way.”

AUDIO: Illinois Extension poultry biosecurity conference call (55 min. MP3)

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