The avian influenza or birdflu has been discovered at a north east Dubois county farm.
According to public information director, Denise Derrer, from the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, there is a farm in Dubois county affected by the highly pathogenic h7n8 avian influenza which is more commonly known as the birdflu.
The farm own by Dan and Steve Kalb near Dubois has about 60,000 turkeys. USDA has taken over the process at the farm and the flock has been quarantine and will not enter the food supply.
Although, the Kalbs followed bio security measures migratory birds such as geese can leave the virus in the vicinity at local farms.
For Indiana this is the 1st case of a commercial flock to contract the birdflu.
There were 60,000 turkeys which were infected by the disease in 10 barns on one farm in Dubois county.
The turkey barns are being depopulated to control the disease.
At this time there is no other farms affected.
According to officials, aviean influenza does not present a food safety risk; poultry and eggs are safe to eat. The centers for disease control considers the risk of illness to humans to be very low. This marks the first case of avian influenza in indiana in 2016. While the disease was found on 219 sites in 16 states in the United States last year, Indiana had only one backyard flock of 76 birds affected in 2015. This event marks the first case in a commercial flock in Indiana.
While the center for disease control considers the risk of illness to humans to be very low, backyard poultry owners are encouraged to be aware of the signs of avian influenza in their flock and report illness and/or death to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) healthy birds hotline:866-536-7593.
Callers will be routed to a state or federal veterinarian in indiana for a case assessment.
Indiana’s poultry industry ranks fourth nationally in turkey production, first in duck production, third in eggs, and is a significant producer of broiler chickens. The poultry industry employs more than 14,000 hoosiers and is valued at $2.5 billion dollars.
And once again officials stress that this illness affects birds not humans.
