State Veterinarian Robert C. Stout has re-enacted restrictions on bird sales and movement in Kentucky to protect Kentucky’s poultry industry and bird population from the avian influenza outbreak in southern Indiana that federal officials announced
Friday.
“We are taking these steps out of an abundance of caution,” Dr. Stout said. “Poultry is Kentucky’s leading agricultural commodity, and we will do everything we can to keep our commercial and backyard poultry industries secure.”
The Office of the State Veterinarian (OSV) reinstated the following actions:
· All avian commingling sales events, including stockyards, flea markets, and swap meets, are banned. Sales of birds will not be allowed at any fair or show. A private sale with direct intrastate farm-to-farm movement is allowed per state regulation 302 KAR 20.065, section 7.
· Entry of birds into Kentucky for sale is restricted to poultry from facilities certified by the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) as free of H5 or H7 viruses. Entry from certified H5/H7-clean facilities within a state with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) infections must meet Kentucky regulatory requirements. Entry from facilities within an HPAI control zone is banned.
· Entry of poultry into Kentucky for private sale or movement must be permitted by the OSV and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
· Game bird permit applications must originate from an NPIP-certified H5/H7-clean facility that meets the requirements of the OSV’s poultry restrictions memo. Persons seeking a game bird permit also must obtain a transportation permit from the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
· Exhibition events, shows, and fairs will be restricted to in-state birds only. No out-of-state birds will be allowed into Kentucky for exhibition purposes. All birds presented for exhibition shall be subject to inspection by Kentucky Department of Agriculture personnel.
The Office of the State Veterinarian, an agency of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, works with the University of Kentucky, USDA, other government agencies, private veterinary practitioners, and producers to prevent and eradicate disease in Kentucky livestock and poultry.
Dr. Stout encouraged poultry producers and all other bird owners to take biosecurity measures to prevent their birds from being infected with avian influenza or other bird diseases:
· Keep your distance – Isolate your birds from visitors and other birds.
· Keep it clean – Prevent germs from spreading by cleaning shoes, tools and equipment.
· Don’t haul disease home – Clean vehicles and cages.
· Don’t borrow from your neighbor – Avoid sharing tools and equipment with neighbors.
· Know the signs – Watch for early signs to prevent the spread of disease
· Report sick birds – Report unusual signs of disease or unexpected deaths to the Office of the Kentucky State Veterinarian at (502) 573-0282, option 3, or through USDA’s toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593.
Kentucky’s poultry industry generated an estimated $1.28 billion in farm cash receipts in 2014, the Kentucky office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service reported. Kentucky farmers produced 308 million broilers in 2014.
