Experts Recommend Special Precautions For Those With Chickens & Other Birds
Experts Recommend Special Precautions For Those With Chickens & Other Birds
March 11, 2022Steve Schwaller
(Undated)– With confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI now confirmed in Iowa, including one case in a turkey flock in Buena Vista county, experts are reminding everyone who raises poultry, either independently or commercially, to exercise special precautions. Dr. Yuko Sato, Associate Professor at the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, says there are several symptoms to be on the lookout for…
“Coughing, sneezing, you can have some nasal discharge, you can have birds with swollen sinuses, but I guess with high path AI a red flag will be a sudden increase in death rate, which we call mortality, especially if you don’t have a really good reason why a group of birds or that bird died. That’s a huge red flag. And some of the other signs to look for include diarrhea, you could have birds that are neurologic, you could see birds that are depressed or lethargic, kind of really tired looking. You could have birds that are huddling because they’re cold. In the flock setting you could see a drop in feed or water consumption and also a drop in egg production as well, too.”
She says the virus is somewhat similar to COVID-19 among humans, adding it’s important producers implement strict biosecurity measures…
“Limiting some foot traffic onto your farm, as simple as maybe having a change of boots that are designated for your farm, clothing or coveralls for when you chore your birds. If you have something like skid loaders and stuff like that, don’t borrow it from your neighbors, have your own. If you have to use something that’s borrowed, you have to clean and disinfect and wash it down, scrub off all the dirt and manure from it. And one big thing I stress out now is that if you are avid hunters, if you’re going out to go hunting outside in the wild, make sure to take a good shower, wash your hands, change your clothes, change your boots before exposing them to your own birds.”
Dr. Sato says it’s very important if you notice symptoms among birds to report it to a veterinarian.
