HPAI reports – be alert, but not alarmed

AMES, Iowa – Reports of highly pathogenic avian influenza should not cause alarm among cattle ranchers, although they are prompting producers to review their current biosecurity plans. Denise Schwab, a beef specialist at Iowa State University, said the reports are a reminder of how any disease is transmissible to cattle.

“Basic biosecurity measures are essential daily steps to prevent all diseases, and livestock producers should always be alert to the possibility of disease spread,” she said. “Diseases can be transmitted through aerosols, direct contact between animals, orally (via feed or water), reproduction, by vectors (biting or sucking insects), or by vehicles and fomites (shoes, clothing, contaminated feed, needles). Anything we do to prevent this spread reduces the risk of disease.”

Direct contact between animals poses the greatest risk for the spread of disease. Here are some management practices to minimize this risk:

• Isolate all incoming animals, such as new bulls, purchased replacement heifers, purchased veal calves, or animals returning home from shows, for 30 days.
• Provide good fencing to prevent neighboring bulls from mating your cows and keep them in their pasture.
• Avoid nose-to-nose contact between your cow herd and newly purchased cattle.
• Minimize contact with wild animals if possible and especially keep rodents away.
• Find out about the medical history of the cattle you are purchasing.
• Restrict animal access to pens, feed stores, mixing areas, feeding troughs and handling areas.
• Clean and disinfect all equipment before using it near healthy livestock.
• Keep a list of all visitors to the facility.

People are also carriers of diseases, said Schwab.

“We control many management practices that can reduce the spread of disease,” she said. “Our shoes/boots and clothing can transmit bacteria and viruses, so having separate shoes/boots for the farm, changing clothes before completing tasks after attending public livestock events such as fairs, auctions and field days, and preventing access to livestock areas by outside vehicles can help reduce risk.”

It is impossible to prevent all risks of disease spread, but producers can minimize the impact by having and implementing sound management practices. Information on biosecurity practices can be found in the BQA Field Guide. You can also work with your local veterinarian to determine the disease risks in your area and the mitigation practices to use.

For more information, contact Schwab at [email protected] or call 319-721-9624.

(This article was written by Dacia Schoulte, Communications Intern at IBC.)

The Iowa Beef Center at Iowa State University was established in 1996 to support the growth and vitality of the state’s beef industry. Comprised of faculty and staff from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the College of Veterinary Medicine, it works to develop and provide the latest research-based information on the beef industry. For more information about the IBC, visit www.iowabeefcenter.org.