Forthcoming spring means bio-security should be top of mind

by | Feb 14, 2020 | 5 Ag Stories, News

Whether or not you believe Punxsutawney Phil or Mother Nature today, spring is right around the corner. I will pause while you laugh at the fact that I said this during a blast of arctic cold. With that out of the way, I think we can all agree that biosecurity is no laughing matter. We have been hearing about African Swine Fever for months now, there is always the danger of Foot and Mouth Disease, and we all remember the bird flu. Okay, the technical terminology is ?High Pathogenic Avian Influenza?, but let?s face it, you could have called it ?happy fun bird time? and the results would still have stunk. So, I say again, biosecurity is no laughing matter.

It is bird flu or Avian Influenza which is inspiring our discussion today. With the springtime comes the return of our migratory birds. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says that poultry producers will need to be taking extra precautions and be even more observant during this time.

Lost in the drone of African Swine Fever and Coronavirus is the fact that China has also had confirmed cases of High Pathogenic Avian Influenza. Naig says while this does not mean that Iowa poultry producers need to go into a panic, it is a good reminder to be monitoring your flocks.

Iowa producers are always working to care for the health and well-being of their animals. It is just during this time when all the diseases are on our mind, it is a good time to review your biosecurity plans and connect with your veterinarians to make sure the health needs of your animals are being met.

Secretary Naig did comment that it seems that China has had more than its fair share of disease-related issues and that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is monitoring the developments and their effects as closely as possible.