We received unwelcome news early Saturday morning, and if you follow us on social media you were one of the first to find out about it with us.
“Highly pathogenic avian influenza is back in Indiana,” says Denise Derrer Spears, Public Information Director with the Indiana State Board of Animal Health. “Friday afternoon, we had test results that came back that we found the virus in a commercial turkey flock in Jay County.
Since that discovery late Friday, the flock of over 20,000 turkeys has been depopulated. A 10-kilometer control area and a 20-kilometer surveillance zone that includes portions of Jay and Adams Counties have been established around the affected farm.
“We will be requiring permits for any poultry or poultry product movements in or out of that area. There are companies up there that are producing eggs that need to ship to make it to grocery stores. Before they can move, there has to be a negative test that happens for the flock to make sure that they won’t be moving any virus. And so, we’ve got testing that’s happening on a daily basis for the farms up there because a lot of those operations, they’ve got daily shipments, and they have to keep in business.”
BOAH is reaching out to other flock owners in that area to offer testing.
It is important to note that avian influenza does NOT present a food safety risk.
Hobby poultry owners are encouraged to be aware of the signs of avian influenza and report illness or death to the USDA Healthy Birds Hotline.
“Main things to look for are sudden death without clinical signs, lack of appetite or energy in the birds, decreased egg production, soft or misshapen eggs, swelling or purple discoloration of the head, eyelids, comb, hocks, and nasal discharge, including coughing and sneezing.”
The number to the Healthy Birds Hotline is 866-536-7593.
Hear my full interview with Denise Derrer Spears to hear how BOAH is responding to the event below.
