Source: Chris Scott, MEATINGPLACE, 8/29/16


USDA is stressing that poultry farmers continue to practice solid biosecurity measures following the first confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) on U.S. soil in 14 months.

The agency’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced that H5N2 – the strain of bird flu that killed millions of U.S. birds in 2015 – was found in a wild mallard duck from a state wildlife refuge near Fairbanks, Alaska, last week.

APHIS is warning “anyone involved in poultry production from the small backyard to the large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds.”

APHIS is also recommending that people “minimize direct contact with wild birds by using gloves in addition to washing hands and changing clothing before any contact with healthy domestic poultry and birds occurs. Wild birds can be infected with strains of the flu virus without appearing sick, the agency added.

The United States maintains the strongest avian influenza surveillance programs in the world, APHIS added, noting that the wild mallard duck was captured and sample tested as part of its continuing monitoring efforts. Those programs have resulted in 4,000 samples so far and expects to collect a total of 30,000 samples for testing by July 1, 2017.

For more stories, go to www.meatingplace.com.