Highly Contagious Avian Influenza Found In Near UC

Another detection of avian influenza was found in Tennessee, this time bordering the Upper Cumberland in Bledsoe County.

Cumberland Agriculture Extension Agent Greg Upchurch said the most dangerous part of avian influenza is its contagiousness. He said the symptom of its presence in your flock: rapid death.

“The biggest thing that I tell homeowners or people with their own birds is sanitation, biosecurity,” Upchurch said. “Doing all those things to keep their flocks healthy by basically just using extreme caution.”

Upchurch said avian influenza typically spreads in waterfowl around the country. He said they have some type of resistance to it, whereas domestic birds do not.

Upchurch said that he had not seen any recommendations from the state agriculture office about bringing flocks to events and markets. He said that in order to best protect your flock he recommends doing everything possible to prevent outside contamination.

“I would be doing everything to eliminate any and all bird moving in or going out of my system,” Upchurch said. “As for if it’s a homeowner visiting other flocks or even people who have flocks, I wouldn’t even wear the same shoes in the house I’d disinfect them. I’d do anything and everything from a sanitation standpoint.”