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Officials alert animal owners of need for continued vigilance to protect bird flocks and cattle in Vermont
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) have confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also known as H5N1 bird flu, in a non-commercial backyard (non-poultry) flock in Franklin County last week. Samples taken by VAAFM and USDA officials Thursday, December 19th were tested and confirmed for HPAI by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa.
This is the fourth instance of HPAI in a domestic flock in Vermont since spring of 2022 and emphasizes the ongoing need for vigilance as the disease continues to be an ongoing risk to domestic birds.
The small flock of 24 birds suffered its first mortality Wednesday, December 18th and then experienced ongoing losses. The owner contacted VAAFM to report the situation Thursday morning, the 19th. The remaining flock was quarantined to prevent the spread of disease and was depopulated this past Saturday by officials from VAAFM with the agreement and understanding of the flock’s owners. Currently, VAAFM has received no reports of illness in additional Vermont flocks.
Though HPAI is considered to be low risk to human health, the individuals who had contact with infected birds or their environment are being monitored by the Vermont Department of Health. There have been no human cases in Vermont or New England during the current U.S. outbreak. Lab testing confirmed that this case of HPAI is not the strain currently impacting dairy cattle herds in other states around the country.
This localized outbreak reinforces the importance of poultry owners, farmers and hunters to report sick and dead birds. Despite the low risk to the public, the virus remains deadly to many species of birds. All bird owners, from those who own backyard pets to commercial farmers, are strongly encouraged to review biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks. Dairy farm operators and dairy cattle owners are also advised to implement biosecurity measures in response to the ongoing risk of HPAI.
For the agriculture community and poultry owners:
The HPAI virus is often initially introduced to domestic poultry and cattle by infected wild birds, through direct contact or contact with their droppings, and then may spread among animals due to poor biosecurity and/or unfavorable environmental conditions. While some waterfowl species can carry the disease without becoming sick, the HPAI virus is generally fatal for domestic poultry.
Risk factors for the spread of HPAI include:
- Poultry or cattle housed outside
- Ponds or other wild bird attractants on the farm
- Piles of debris located close to poultry areas
- Introduction of poultry or cattle from other farms without a quarantine period
- Lack of personal protective equipment such as dedicated coveralls and boots
- Sharing of equipment between farm animals
- Unrestricted human movement and interaction with poultry and cattle
Anyone involved with poultry or cattle, from the small backyard farms to the large commercial producer, should review their biosecurity activities to ensure the health of their birds and cattle, restrict human movement onto the farm and limit contact with animals to only those who NEED to be there. Non-essential personnel and visitors should not be allowed.
USDA has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit available here. In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all farm owners should prevent contact between their farm animals and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to State/Federal officials, VAAFM at 802-828-2421 or through USDA’s toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593 as soon as possible.
For the fish and wildlife community:
If you hunt wild fowl during Vermont’s available hunting seasons, please keep these tips in mind. If you have a bird feeder, be aware that although songbirds are at low risk of contracting HPAI, the following precautionary measures further reduce risk of transmission among birds:
- Clean bird feeders regularly following these steps.
- Wear gloves or wash hands thoroughly after cleaning bird feeders.
- If you have poultry, keep wild birds away from poultry food and water, and poultry away from wild bird food and water. Move or take down bird feeders if necessary.
For everyone:
Some birds may be infected with HPAI even if they do not look sick. To stay safe, Vermonters can take these steps to avoid exposure to the virus:
- Observe wild birds and other animals only from a distance. Do not touch wildlife or animals that may be sick or are dead.
- Wash your hands and wear personal protective equipment if you work directly or closely with sick or dead animals, animal feces, litter, raw milk, and other materials that might have the virus. See how to protect yourself when working with farm animals (CDC)
- If you drink milk, make sure it is pasteurized. This process kills harmful germs that can make you sick, including the H5N1 bird flu virus that can infect dairy cows. The H5N1 bird flu virus has been proven to survive in raw milk for at least five weeks under refrigeration.
- Get a seasonal flu vaccine. Seasonal flu vaccines will not prevent infection with bird flu viruses. But it can reduce the risk of getting infected with both seasonal flu and bird flu at the same time, which could lead to a more severe illness.
Influenza in poultry does not constitute a food safety risk. Vermonters are asked to be alert for dead or sick birds and alert the USDA or Vermont authorities at 802-828-2421 or through USDA’s toll-free number at 1-866-536-7593 as soon as possible.
- For more details on the national cases, visit the USDA website at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/avian-influenza/2022-hpai.
- Find the USDA toolkit for biosecurity at: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/avian/defend-the-flock-program/dtf-resources/dtf-resources.
- Find additional backyard biosecurity information at: https://healthybirds.aphis.usda.gov.
- For information on human health: https://HealthVermont.gov/BirdFlu.
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Categories: Press Release
Ramping up the the fear tactics and preparing for the weaponized version?
For those who aren’t questioning ( foolish Vermonter’s ) ❗ How does H5N1 (Bird flu), in a non-commercial backyard (non-poultry) flock in Franklin County contract the virus ? You really need to be asking these questions. A backyard chicken flock has no connection with other chickens. I know I suspect of many weird things in America and Vermont, and am considered a Conspiracy Theorist. [ However 100% of the things I have said or thought has indeed been true ]. In this case, concerning H5N1 I want to know what they are using for feed, who owns it, and the feeds point of origin. The virus is coming from somewhere, it doesn’t just magically appear. Perhaps another question you shouldn’t completely ignore, . . . Who is behind it. A virus doesn’t magically appear in the feed either ❗
Whether it is true or not, they’re saying it can be contracted by exposure to wild birds.
“”USDA has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists, and a toolkit available here. In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all farm owners should prevent contact between their farm animals and wild birds and report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to State/Federal officials,””
First off, no body with a backyard flock is going to keep them inside, that’s why they’re raising their own birds: to give them scratch, fresh air and sunshine. So yeah, of course they’ll have exposure to wild birds. If I raised chickens I wouldn’t tell anyone, too much fear mongering and overly interested agencies.
They say it can be transmitted from droppings of wild birds (mostly water fowl) just flying by. I wonder about turkeys carrying it?
Peter Hotez said the Next Pandemic will start January 21, 2025.
Tick tock.
Buckle up.
The biosecurity state will not go quietly into that good night.
I was interested enough to look up Peter Hotez and found this link. Jan. 21, means it is likely a gift the WEF is planning to drop on the Capitol steps for Trump to inherit.
Only this century has there been so many problems on a constant basis.
Before, we just had wars… bad enough.
Now we have wacky outbreaks no one knows where TF they come from and cannot be prevented except with this “biosecurity?” What??
Ever hear of the Black Plague or Spanish flu?
Let me guess. They’re using the PCR test to ‘confirm’ the disease. The same test they used to concoct the Plandemic.
Sigh.
Right on schedule – they started planting the seed (or rather the bioweapon) a year ago? They also have the shot loaded and ready to go. Lockdowns around the corner as is being peddled by CNN. Will there be collective righteous anger and righteous defiance? Or will there be collective resignation, capitulation, obedience and compliance to our own self-destruction?
To quote Joel Salatin:
This ain’t normal folks!
We are so used to wag the dog that we don’t even question it anymore… biowarfare people?
Occam’s Razor.
First mistake that the farmer made, was to call the state about a dead bird. Chickens die mysteriously all the time. We need to remember from Covid days, that they scared the masses by using the PCR tests and amping up the cycles to bring up the numbers of positive cases. Fear is a powerful thing, so get ready. The globalists have a goal to take over our food supply. “Those who control the food, control the world”-Henry Kissinger. I definitely agree with the above statement regarding where the feed comes from that the chickens are fed. Most likely owned and controlled by Blackrock or other big stockholders . They think they control the world and we need to fight back
Surely this H5N1 virus outbreak came from a bat living in nearby Little Devil Cave, that came out of hibernation during some recent extraordinary temperatures caused by global warming, ending up at City Market not far from this Franklin County Vermont homestead.
But not to worry. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Agriculture are being assisted by the now retired Anthony Fauci and his close associates at the World Health Organization in this expert analysis.
And by all means, to stay safe, Vermonters should;
– get the several new (and still experimental) mRNA vaccines (the more the better),
– load up on personal protective equipment (hazmat suits, masks, digital thermometers, a year’s supply of Abbott Labs test kits, a year’s supply of Paxlovid, and a tape measure to determine the precise six feet of spacing required while in public places, and
– brush up on ‘backyard biosecurity’ measures.
But stay away from horse meds (Ivermectin), Zinc, and Hydroxychloroquine. And if anyone wants to drink Chlorox because they thought Trump said to do so, you know, just in case, they should know they do so at their own risk – because everything we do is at our own risk while all of these players (including our schools) can’t be held responsible under Emergency Use Authorization.
And if anyone does get sick, they’ll have to go to New York for medical care because the Green Mountain Care Board wage and price controls have driven medical services out of Vermont.
But hey, look on the bright side. Just think of all the Federal grants headed this way to pay non-profit NGOs to assist in these endeavors, pay schoolteachers and government workers who refuse to go to work, and reimburse the State’s bankrupt pension programs.
What? Me worry?
Something smells fishy and it’s not a dead chicken. Why does it take 3 government agencies to confirm the existence of the bird flu when all it takes is one? Of course, when 3 step up to the plate it becomes much more believable than just one right?