By Mark Badertscher

You may or may not be aware that Hardin County has had a recent outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. It is very important that you take steps to protect your backyard flock, if you currently have ANY poultry. The recent HPAI outbreak in multiple counties in Ohio has resulted in over 4 million birds being affected and prompted a lot of questions. 

OSU Extension’s Poultry Specialist will be hosting a webinar at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 19 in collaboration with the USDA Incident Response Team to try to provide an opportunity for you to learn more about the outbreak and how it is affecting both the Ohio poultry industry and the backyard/4-H poultry communities. This is a great opportunity to ask questions and see what educational support is available.

Here is the list of topics to be discussed:

• Biosecurity basics
• Symptoms and signs of HPAI in poultry
• Control Area – what is it and what does it mean for backyard farms?
• Surveillance Zone – what is it and what does it mean for backyard farms?
• How long does a quarantine last?
• What is the status of the incident?
• What can you do if you have questions?
• Q&A

HPAI in commercial or backyard flocks often originates from wild, migratory birds.  It is highly contagious, spreads quickly among flocks, and may be fatal to the birds. 

“The recent HPAI detection does not present an immediate public health concern, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  No human cases have been detected in the United States.  According to USDA, HPAI cannot be transmitted through properly cooked meats or eggs.” -Ohio Poultry Association.

If you have a home or residential flock, please keep a close eye on them using the information included.  Measures of protection are also provided to help keep your flock safe.

If you suspect your home birds may have HPAI, immediately contact the Ohio Department of Agriculture at 614-728-6220.

If you suspect your commercial flock may have HPAI, immediately contact the Ohio Poultry Association at 614-882-6111.

Here are the webinar details:  Please share widely. 

You are invited to a CarmenZoom webinar.

When: Dec 19, 2023 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Topic: Ohio Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Update

Please click the link below to join the webinar:

https://osu.zoom.us/j/97306640698?pwd=VlF5ZnFzMS8wRWU4VVByQ3RDZ0JBZz09 

Password: 482285