Now is the time to review your biosecurity practices and prepare for fall, when waterfowl migrations and cooler temperatures may (unfortunately) facilitate the rise of avian influenza infections.
The first thing a producer can do is perform a self-audit. He or she should ask themselves several questions, including:
• Is my site registered with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and do I have an approved, current National Poultry Improvement Plan biosecurity plan on file?
• Am I maintaining the line of separation, including using dedicated footwear or disposable boot covers and other personal protective equipment, maintaining and utilizing a footwear disinfectant station, and maintaining and using hand-washing or hand-sanitizing stations?
• Are visitors signing a logbook and including their contact information and their date of most recent contact with other poultry?
• Are vehicles and equipment being cleaned and disinfected before they cross the perimeter buffer area?
• Are the houses proofed against wild birds and rodents, or do some repairs need to be made?
• Are the pest control methods I am using effective?
• Are the weeds and grass around the houses being kept short?
• Are visitors and delivery personnel following my biosecurity procedures?
• Am I following an approved mortality disposal plan?
• Is my manure being handled properly?
• Have my workers been trained in biosecurity practices within the past year?
• Do I need to order any personal protective equipment, disinfectant or other supplies to have on hand?
Penn State and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture have various resources available to help producers with biosecurity. A good place to start is with your local poultry Extension educator, or on the avian influenza landing page at extension.psu.edu/avian-influenza.
Gino Lorenzoni and his team from Penn State were recently awarded a grant to assist producers on mixed-species farms with biosecurity. The grant is for producers with chickens and at least one additional species, and it aims to instruct farmers in core biosecurity principles, on-farm implementation of key biosecurity measures, and minimize the risk of virus transmission among species.
Lorenzoni and his team are available to provide individual consultations, including live demonstrations and installations, and distribute resources to farmers across the state.
The consultations are free and each producer will also receive complimentary rubber boots, a boot brush, disinfectant and printed educational materials. Please contact Lorenzoni at ginolorenzoni@psu.edu for more information or to schedule a farm visit. Consultations can be done in English or Spanish.
The state Ag Department also has many resources available at lanc.farm/pda-hpai. Along with educational materials, the Ag Department is offering two grants. The first is the HPAI Recovery Reimbursement Grant, which applies to farms, integrators and allied industries hurt by avian influenza. It covers those with financial losses due to being in a control or quarantine zone. The application deadline for this grant has been extended to Sept. 28.
Grant money is also available for the implementation of biosecurity enhancements on farms (up to $25,000 per premise). More information and the application link for both of these grants are available at lanc.farm/hpai-grants.
Hope Kassube is a Penn State Extension poultry educator in Lebanon County.
Source: Lancaster Farming
