Even as the snow is falling, I am still seeing flocks of birds making their move south. Normally, it is a thing of great beauty to witness these birds make the trek with no maps or GPS. Though there are a few times, I see those flocks and wonder if they have the right bird in the front. But this year, those flying Vs are bringing more of a sense of angst. Those birds are likely to be carrying a disease that has wreaked havoc this year in the United States.
Iowa has added a few more High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) cases since we last checked in with Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig. While the numbers in Iowa haven?t been as bad as in 2015 (30 compared to 77), the nation has seen more bird flu cases this year than in the last go-round. The key is that we are seeing it spread over a wider path, but we also did not see the birds shed the disease over the summer as we would have expected to see. Some of our northern neighbors dealt with the virus all summer, which of course means migratory birds stood a greater chance of picking it back up to bring it south again this fall.
Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig says that Iowa can hang its hat on the fact that we are much better at identifying the disease and putting prevention measures into effect. It gives him worry for the spring.
The question nobody wants to ask is will this become a yearly issue that we will need to deal with? Sec. Naig says that we need to respond to the fact that this can happen all year round possibility. While he isn?t certain if this could be yearly. He also adds that the stress on Iowa poultry producers is high.
As always, if you suspect your flock is sick, contact your local veterinarian immediately. Make sure you are learning the signs to help you identify the disease early and prevent its spread.
