Northwest Iowa — Big flocks of honking geese and other migratory waterfowl are headed south for the winter, and many of them come right through our area. Unfortunately they could carry avian influenza.
An avian influenza outbreak in the spring of 2015 decimated several flocks of chickens and turkeys in Iowa and Minnesota. Dr. David Schmitt, the state veterinarian for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship says when migratory birds are on the migration trail, area chickens and turkeys are always at some risk for avian influenza.
He says the same risk happens again in the spring, and we’ve found that biosecurity is actually very important year-round.
According to Dr. Schmitt, the avian flu viruses mix and change just like the human flu viruses. He says that’s why every year there is a new flu shot for people, because the doctors try to get the viruses for which they believe there is the greatest risk that year. But he says the H5 and H7 variants are always of concern for birds.
Dr. Schmitt says that one thing we’ve got going for us is that most people involved in the poultry industry now know the importance of taking biosecurity measures such as clean shoes and other objects; proper disposal of dead birds; clean water; eliminating access to surface drainage water; eliminating rodents, insects, wild animals, and wild birds; and controlling access to feed and making sure it and the containers it comes in stay clean.
