01/31/2023
~Avian Flu Has Hit Our Valley
I’ve been mulling this post around in my head for days but haven’t been able to think on the best way to start it, but I feel it needs to be shared, so here goes.
As most of you know, if you watch or listen to the news at all, Avian Influenza has hit our Valley.
The poultry industry is the biggest agricultural commodity in Virginia; with our Shenandoah Valley being the biggest poultry producing and processing region in our state, as well as one of the largest regions in the whole country, with about 250 turkey farms and 550 chicken farms just in our little Valley alone.
When Scott got the call a few nights ago that AI had been confirmed only twenty miles from our farm, our hearts went in our throats.
Since then we’ve been on pins and needles trying to stay calm, but let me tell you there’s been moments when we’ve had to push down feelings of terror, dread, and panic.
None of those feelings help to make the situation any better, but the horrific memories of when AI swept the Valley 21 years ago are beginning to raise their ugly head again.
Things have been quiet for almost a week, and we’ve all been holding our breath hoping that this was an isolated case and that it wouldn’t spread like a wildfire on a windy day, but last night the second case was confirmed in the Valley.
For those that don’t own poultry or are disconnected with the poultry industry let me tell you that this virus and what it does to the industry is no joke.
I don’t know everything that happens when a flock is detected, but I can tell you that once a flock is suspected of having AI, it is tested immediately and the results are back within 24 hours.
Once it is confirmed positive, the birds are euthanized within the next 24 hours inside their barns.
Now, don’t fret, you can’t get AI from eating infected birds, and you may ask, “Then why don’t they take them to be processed instead of all of that meat going to waste?” Well the answer to that is AI is so contagious to other fowl that they could spread the virus to other wild birds and to every backyard and poultry farm they pass on the way to the processing plant.
Once a case is confirmed, every poultry farm and backyard flock within a 6.2 radius miles from the infected flock is put on lock down.
And yes government officials come on your farm and get involved to make sure things are secure to prevent the spread of the disease.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a backyard flock that is detected first or a commercial farm, once its detected things go on lockdown in the area.
Then the restrictions begin, everything from the vehicles and farm equipment that can come and go from the farm to visitors and workers that can come and go.
You know how there’s an egg shortage right now, it’s because of AI.
Let me tell you why; once a flock is detected, that flock and every other flock on that farm, if there’s more than one, will be euthanized.
For example, the first flock to be detected in our Valley a few days ago had 25,000 birds that were euthanized.
Now that farmer will have to sit without birds for approximately three months or until the government okays him to be able to get another flock, which could be much longer.
Now, everyone within that 6.2 miles of the infected flock will have to have their birds tested weekly for AI, and within the next two weeks if found negative, their birds will be processed.
Since they’re in the 6.2 miles of the first infected flock, they too will have to set empty with no birds for approximately two months or until they’re given the okay from the government officials.
If another positive flock is detected nearby their wait to get birds is extended again.
You may say no big deal, but within those 6.2 miles there are approximately 55 poultry farms that will now be setting empty instead of raising birds or eggs to put on our shelves.
This is just farms, but most farms have two to four poultry barns, but we’ll just say each farm has the same amount of birds as the first detected flock.
Just think if every one of those farms produced 25,000 birds; I dare say most produce more than that, but we’ll use the first infected farm as an example, that’s 1,375,000 birds that aren’t going to our super markets or birds that produce eggs not putting any on our shelves.
Last night a second case has been detected in the Valley and the same thing will be done with every farm within that 6.2 miles.
Let me tell you the poultry industry is huge in our Valley and this outbreak will not only affect the farmer, put it’ll affect the workers at the hatchery, the truck drivers, everyone from the chick drivers to the feed truck drivers, to the live haul drivers, to the truckers that deliver the product in the stores.
It’ll affect the workers at the feed mills, the workers at the poultry plants, and everyone on down the line to you the consumer.
So, I say all of this to plead with you as a fellow poultry producer and as a consumer to help us spread the word on the importance of bio-security!
It doesn’t matter if you have a commercial flock, a pasture raised flock, a back yard flock or don’t have birds at all; we all need to do our part to keep the spread of this destructive virus at bay and away.
Some of the things that we’re doing is barricading the entrances to our poultry farm and restricting visitors.
We have a disinfectant foot bath and a change of shoes at the entry of every barn to help prevent dragging the virus in on our feet.
We don’t wear our street clothes or shoes to the barn, and especially if you go anywhere in public or to an event where there are a lot of people, please change your clothes before going to your farm.
For those who don’t own poultry farms, be respectful of the farmer and don’t turn around in their driveways or enter any farm without the farmer’s permission.
If people have to enter your farm, make sure they spray their tires with disinfectant before and after leaving your farm and also make sure they wear proper disposable footwear and clean coveralls while on your farm.
We also clean and disinfect our equipment before entering the barns.
I will post in the comments different sites that have some good insights on different protocols on how you can protect your flock, backyard, commercial or otherwise.
For those that asked how does AI spread; it can be through contact from an infective bird, or an infective wild bird could p**p and you step in it or get it on your tires and bring it to your farm. It can also be brought in by the virus being on your clothes, shoes, or equipment.
I beg of you to please take this virus serious, and use proactive measures and protocols to help slow and stop this AI virus from spreading.
Our lively hoods depend on it!
It can slip in and infect any of our farms unexpectedly no matter how hard we try, and God forbid, even our farm, but we’ve at least got to put up a fight and do what we can to prevent it!
Please keep our poultry farmers in your thoughts and prayers!
God Bless~Tabby
