The USA is on high alert for bird flu. How is the Olmsted County Fair handling livestock this year? – Post Bulletin

ROCHESTER – Special precautions are in place for some farm animals being transported to fairs in Minnesota, including the Olmsted County Fair, which begins Monday, July 22.

“Of all the species that come, only healthy animals are expected to come,” said Dr. Cindy Wolf, Olmsted County Fair veterinarian.

The caution is due to the spread of the H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic bird flu. According to the World Organisation for Animal Health, it is a contagious disease that can spread among wild and domestic birds. The disease is usually fatal to birds, and breeding flocks that test positive for the virus are usually culled to prevent the spread of the disease.

Bird flu has attracted more attention in 2024 because the H5N1 strain has jumped to cattle and humans. In March, a goat in Minnesota tested positive for H5N1, the first detection of the disease in U.S. livestock. Days later, the U.S. reported the first cases in dairy cows. To date, 156 dairy herds in 13 states, including Minnesota, have been affected by H5N1.

Since then, four U.S. citizens have contracted the bird flu virus after working with dairy cows. This month, four poultry workers in Colorado also tested positive for the virus.

“The risk to the public is still considered low,” said Dr. Katie Cornille, chief veterinarian with the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. “But especially this year, with cases in both poultry and dairy cattle in Minnesota, we want to take additional measures to protect these species in these situations where many different animals are coming into one place from many different places.”

Olmsted County recently experienced an outbreak of avian influenza—it was discovered in a flock of 14,400 commercial turkey hens in December 2023. Neighboring Dodge County has had three outbreaks since 2022, all in turkey fattening and breeding flocks, according to the USDA. No cases of H5N1 infection in cattle have been reported in Olmsted County.

Last month, the State Animal Health Administration introduced new testing requirements for dairy cows in milk production participating in exhibitions, including trade fairs.

“Every cow that is currently being milked and comes to the fair, whether 4-H or open class, must be tested for H5N1 the week before the fair,” Wolf said.

Article by Dr. Cindy Wolf

These cows must also present a veterinary examination certificate. Wolf said that to obtain this certificate, veterinarians go to the farm itself and assess the animals’ health.

“Then this (certificate) accompanies the cow to the fair, and then I, as the fair veterinarian, check it when the cow arrives at the fair and say: ‘Yes, she can go to the fair,'” said Wolf.

Wolf will be busy on Monday, as all 4-H livestock and some open class animals will arrive at the fairgrounds that day. Certain open class animals, such as cattle and horses, will arrive there later in the week.

“I look at each animal and make sure they’re healthy,” Wolf said. “I look for signs that indicate they’re not healthy, like a runny nose or droopy ears, that indicate they have a fever or are just not feeling well.”

She also looks for diseases that can be transmitted to humans. Wolf said one common disease is ringworm, a fungal infection of the skin.

“I check on all the animals not just on Monday, but every day, because going to a fair is an adjustment for the animals, and sometimes animals get sick at fairs,” said Wolf. “Then we most likely send them home.”

Wolf could not say how many animals are at the Olmsted County Fair in a given year, but the species range from chickens, ducks and rabbits to goats, sheep, alpacas, llamas, cattle and horses.

Although the focus this year is on H5N1, Cornille said the Animal Health Authority always stresses the importance of biosecurity.

“We want exhibitors and show managers to be aware of the risks involved in bringing many different animals to one place,” said Cornille.

It is important for fair visitors to wash their hands frequently, especially after touching animals, said Wolf. And if someone has a cold or is otherwise ill, the fair is not the right place for that.

“There are many hand-washing stations strategically located throughout the stable,” said Wolf.

Also, avoid eating near the animals. Wolf said watching the livestock and enjoying the fair food should be separate activities.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes that the bird flu virus currently poses little risk to the general population. However, people who have contact with birds or livestock are at higher risk. In addition, the US Food and Drug Administration declared in June that the country’s commercial dairy products are safe because the H5N1 virus in milk is inactivated by pasteurization.

In both cattle and humans, H5N1 appears to cause milder symptoms. The four poultry workers in Colorado who were recently diagnosed with bird flu reported irritated eyes, sore throats, runny noses, coughs, chills and fever, according to the Associated Press.