JEFFERSON CITY – With fall wild bird migration quickly approaching and confirmed cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in other parts of the United States, now is a good time to take steps to protect your flock.
What is Avian Influenza?
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is a serious disease and requires rapid response because it is highly contagious and often fatal to poultry. The goal is to quickly contain and eradicate the disease, protecting our poultry.
Biosecurity Guidelines
- Wildlife Control
- Reduce availability of food, water and any potential nesting areas for wild birds
- Fix holes in roofs, screens and walls of poultry barns or coops
- Keep your Distance
- Restrict visitor access to your birds
- Prevent contact with wild birds (especially waterfowl)
- Refrain from visiting other poultry production locations
- Keep it Clean
- Have dedicated clothing and footwear when working with your birds
- Disinfect footwear before entering your barn or coop
- Wash hands with soap and water before and after handling your birds
- Don’t Haul the Virus Home
- Clean and disinfect all wheels on vehicles that have visited a poultry farm
- Clean and disinfect all equipment borrowed from other poultry producers
Know the Symptoms
- Decrease in water or feed consumption
- Quietness among the flock
- Decrease in egg production
- Sudden increase of death in your flock
HPAI has been found to infect other livestock species. It is important to practice good biosecurity when working around all livestock species.
- Practice good biosecurity (shower, wear clean clothes and footwear) prior to visiting other livestock farms. Repeat these biosecurity protocols when you return home before going around your livestock and poultry.
- When working with multiple livestock species on the same farm, practicing good biosecurity as stated above will help to prevent spread of diseases such as HPAI.
For more information and resources on highly pathogenic avian influenza, visit https://agriculture.mo.gov/avian-influenza.php?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=