DUBOIS, Ind. — When highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and bovine tuberculosis (TB) were found in Indiana last year, producers in the affected areas had to deal with the uncertainty that comes with such diagnoses.

 

For Steve Kalb – who raises turkeys in Dubois County with his father, Dan – the unease continues more than a year after HPAI was first discovered on their farm. “We’re still not sure how it got here,” Kalb explained. “Nobody could tell us. It could have been a wild bird. Even if it was some negligence here, if they found a reason, we’d have been happy with anything. That’s the mystery – we just don’t know.”

HPAI was diagnosed in turkeys on the Kalb farm in mid-January 2016. The disease was later found on nine additional farms in the county. More than 414,000 commercial turkeys and chickens (layers) were destroyed as a result of the disease, according to the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH).

The Kalbs lost about 75,000 turkeys, he said, adding it took roughly three months for the operation to be thoroughly disinfected and up and running again.

“The worst part of the whole bird flu thing, for us, was the mental part of it,” Kalb said. “We had to watch them euthanize the rest of our farm. We normally don’t let people out on the farm any time of the year. USDA was here and they told us what we needed to do. They were all really easy to work with, but it was still a helpless feeling.”

In looking at an aerial map of the impacted operations, he noticed they were essentially in a straight line, as if following bird flight patterns. A couple of farms, including his, were off course a bit, he noted.

Kalb said they first noticed some light mortality in their turkeys and after a few days, the number of deaths went up drastically. A veterinarian diagnosed the problem as HPAI. “I think we were in shock,” he said. “That pretty much says it all. There’s nothing to describe the feeling.”

Not just birds

Tim Schwab, a beef producer near Batesville in Franklin County, had his herd tested after bovine tuberculosis (TB) was found in the county in April 2016. The results for his animals were negative. When the first TB was discovered, BOAH set up a three-mile radius for testing, and Schwab’s farm was outside of that zone. When a whitetail deer was later found with the disease, the testing zone was expanded to 10 miles, which included his operation.

“That was the first time we’d ever had a herd tested,” he said. “I don’t know that I was breathing a little easier when it was only a three-mile circle. We need to figure out what the problem is.

“The last thing (the state) needs to do is lose our TB-free status. If TB is in the wild deer population, it doesn’t matter what measures you take (on the farm), you could still get it. We’re trying to do everything we can, and we could still have a problem.” Schwab’s herd was never quarantined but BOAH asked him not to move cattle until testing was completed. The agency did a good job of keeping producers in the area informed, he noted.

“It’s a pain in the neck to test,” he admitted. “It’s better for the cattle community to test, but also better for the entire community. A few guys acted like they were put off but once they went through the testing, they had a different attitude. Most beef producers want to produce the best product for the consumer. They’re willing to be tested to keep the herd safe.”

BOAH spends a great deal of time talking about how to prevent disease, said Denise Derrer, public information director for the agency.

“We communicate with the state’s veterinarians,” she explained. “We also talk with producers about when to call a vet. We spent a lot of time on biosecurity. Anytime we can get in front of folks and talk, we don’t turn down that opportunity.”

It’s important for BOAH to keep the public informed in the event of a disease outbreak, said Dr. Bruce Lamb, a BOAH field veterinarian. “We need to get information out and squelch any rumors,” he said. “There is sometimes reluctance and apprehension from producers. As a local field vet, you try to develop some contacts. You try to be as visible as possible.”

Farmers understand what’s at stake if a serious disease is found in Indiana, said Dr. Kyle Shipman, director of avian health and field operations for BOAH.

“Generally speaking, our producers are extremely cooperative (during an outbreak),” he explained. “We don’t enjoy doing this. A lot of our training is to put ourselves in their shoes. They’re aware of the potential impact to the state. By doing this, we’re protecting a number of other herds in the state.”