Managing for Profit

Take biosecurity seriously

USDA Chief Veterinarian Dr. Jack Shere says recent highly pathogenic avian influenza mutated from low path flu in wild birds.

Dr. Shere tells Brownfield Ag News the threat of avian flu is heightened during migration, but more attention to biosecurity since the last major outbreak helps prevent some cases.

“There are a bunch of new plans, people have done a better job of protecting themselves,” Shere told Brownfield Ag News Wednesday, “but those introductions can come and we have to find the low path and make sure that we’re watching those flocks very closely to make sure there isn’t a mutation that could go to high path.”

In some low path cases, says Shere, producers have chosen to de-populate as a precaution but others, are recovering.  Shere says an example is a Wisconsin turkey flock with low path avian flu.

“We will watch them, test them, (and) when the virus is gone, they’ll have antibodies only,” says Shere.  “They’ll be allowed to go to market, because there’s no risk.  Once the virus is gone, you can transport those birds fairly safely.”

Shere says growers should restrict movement onto farms and to treat operations as enclosed facilities allowing very few people in.  Vigilance includes looking for high mortality or a depressed and quiet poultry flock as signs of avian flu.  Shere says the highest likelihood of mutation from low path to high path avian flu is in H5 and H7 strains, which the recent discoveries have been.  In addition to the high path cases in Tennessee, there have been low path cases reported in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama and Wisconsin.

The disease is not a food safety issue.

AUDIO: Dr. Jack Shere (3 min. MP3)