FRANKFORT, Ky. — With county fair season in full swing, animal shows from horses to poultry are popular events at county and state fairs. But the avian influenza outbreak is beginning to affect poultry shows, even though most of its problems have been related to commercial operations.
Officials in a growing number of states aren’t taking any chances and are banning poultry shows at fair venues. Officials in Kentucky and Tennessee are keeping a close watch on the situation but have not instituted any bans at this point.
The discovery of strain H5N2 avian influenza was made in Kentucky in April when two waterfowl in the western region of the state tested positive for the disease. According to information from the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was confirmed in a goose and a duck in McCracken County.
"These birds were found within the Mississippi flyway where this strain of avian influenza has previously been identified," noted the USDA.
Kentucky officials have watched the situation closely. It is in that region poultry production has risen exponentially over the past two decades, to the point it has become the top agricultural commodity in the state.
University of Tennessee extension veterinarian Dr. Lew Stickland said there are no cases of H5N2 reported in that state, but he is keeping county extension agents and producers up on any news related to the outbreak. "I’m just keeping them aware, not so much as a fear factor but as a way to keep it on their radar," he said.
Stickland noted the discovery in Kentucky is the closest it has gotten to Tennessee, and it is generally waterfowl that tend to carry the ailment from one region to another. He tells producers if they see waterfowl hanging around the farm to use extra biosecurity measures to make sure their birds are being protected – such as cleansing shoes, clothes and equipment thoroughly, as well as washing hands and taking showers.
He also said when it comes to showing animals at the county fair, be it poultry or otherwise, to practice common sense in handling the animals.
Melissa Kennedy is an associate professor in Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences at UT. She said while the flu among humans is generally at its worst in the winter when people are indoors and together more, that is not necessarily the case for birds, depending on whether there is access for infected animals to susceptible animals.
"Many of these strains originate in Asia and it’s thought to be because of the close intermingling at live bird markets," she explained. "Hopefully with the aggressive nature by which it has been approached by the Department of Agriculture, it will be eliminated – but it has been a very costly outbreak."
