BOAH’s Dr. Shipman Shares Policy on Poultry, Dairy Cattle Exhibitions at County Fairs Following Bird Flu Outbreak

County fair season is just around the corner, and one of the most-asked questions this season is, ‘Will poultry and dairy cattle at fairs and exhibitions be restricted this year, given the number of bird flu cases in Indiana earlier in the year?’

“Basically, if we have disease occurrence within a county, we really want to limit the movement of birds in or within that county,” says Dr. Kyle Shipman, State Veterinarian with the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH).

Shipman tells Hoosier Ag Today that many of those initial Control Areas or Surveillance Zones that were set up by state health officials have since expired since the number of bird flu cases identified at Indiana’s poultry production farms were on the rise during the first three months of the year.

“We don’t intend to change our policy, but we are asking poultry exhibitions to really limit their commingling events, specifically those in counties that have an active control area specific to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). What we’re asking is if there’s a current outbreak in a county, we really just don’t want poultry commingling at events or exhibitions in that county,” says Shipman.

As of April 29, only Jay and Randolph counties are still impacted due to associated positive cases that have recently been identified in nearby Darke County across the border in Ohio.

“We’re hoping that those counties won’t be impacted much longer, as those sites that are related to those counties being impacted are progressing through that recovery process,” he says.

So far, no case of H5N1, which is a variant of HPAI, has been positively identified in dairy cattle in Indiana.

What advice does Dr. Shipman have for producers as we gear up for 4-H poultry projects and dairy cattle judging at the country fairs?

“If you think your animal is sick, keep it at home,” he says. “If your animal does get sick while at the fair, get it back home. We don’t create hospital pins at fairs. We want to really limit that impact to other animals and potentially humans and want folks to get those sick animals home as soon as possible. Once they are coming back home, keep those animals separate once the show season is over for the year.”

Shipman adds that the ups and downs of HPAI for the last few months serve as a good reminder to all livestock and poultry owners to have a plan for emergencies.

“One of the best and most basic preparedness steps is to establish and maintain a relationship with a veterinarian. Veterinarians do more than treat sick animals—they can help reduce the risk of disease, illness and injury; they can advise on biosecurity, on and off the farm; and they can consult on nutrition, reproduction, and husbandry practices. Establishing a veterinary-client-patient relationship (VCPR) when animals are well, along with annual visits, is an important first step to keeping a healthy herd or flock.”

Shipman also asks that county fairs and exhibitors have a plan in place in case you may need to dispose of an animal.

“Prepare for the unexpected. If an animal dies at an event—a distressing but possible occurrence—have a biosecure and timely disposal plan away from public view. For escaped animals, ensure a containment strategy to protect nearby people and animals. Additionally, plan for severe weather, whether at the home farm, during transit, or at the event, to ensure animals are safe and secure. Time spent planning pays off later, should the unthinkable happen,” he says.

For more information, visit the Indiana State Board of Animal Health’s website at www.in.gov/boah. You may also e-mail Dr. Shipman and his team at [email protected].

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