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State vet encourages exhibitors to keep a close eye on animal health

Indiana’s state veterinarian is reminding livestock exhibitors to keep a close eye on animal health.

Dr. Bret Marsh says the Indiana State Fair just a week away – and it’s important that livestock exhibitors only bring healthy animals to the fair.  “If they’re sick – please leave them at home,” he says.  “In the case of influenza we know it gets shared between people and pigs.  So even if exhibitors and their families have flu-like symptoms – they should stay home because they could share their influenza with the pigs.  It goes both ways.”

Earlier this month there were reports of the H3N3 influenza virus at a county fair in Ohio.  But, Marsh tells Brownfield – there hasn’t been any notable outbreaks reported in Indiana.

He says visitors to barns need to practice good hygiene.  For example fair goers need to wash their hands after they’ve been in the barn and they shouldn’t eat or drink in the barn.

Influenza does not pose a food safety risk and frequent hand-washing can lower the risk of getting infected.

AUDIO: Bret Marsh, Indiana Board of Animal Health