The order that prohibited the movement of poultry to all live events to help prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been lifted by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. That doesn’t mean everything will immediately return back to normal, though.
Although the order was in place until earlier this week, poultry exhibitors have been caring for their animals long before HPAI was detected in Wisconsin – including the extravagant show birds you can find at county or state fairs.
Melissa Leonard-Flannery is the Pecatonica High School FFA Advisor and Ag Teacher, and the Iowa County Poultry Superintendent. She has also served as a judge for various exhibition poultry shows, earned a degree in Poultry Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and has been raising poultry since she was a child.
Melissa says that you will see poultry exhibitors out and about with their birds later this summer, but not all will be in attendance. She says for those exhibitors that have raised their birds from hatch on and have spent years working to improve their genetic lines, they will not risk taking their birds in public.
While poultry are now permitted at live events, DATCP continues to encourage strong biosecurity practices including cleaning and disinfecting, restricting access by visitors and wild birds, and keeping separate shoes and clothes to wear around flocks.
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