Wisconsin DATCP Finds Case of Avian Flu on Barron Co. Poultry Farm

By Henry Redman

A case of avian influenza was identified in a Barron County commercial poultry flock, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) said Thursday in a news release. 

The flock where the infection was found will be depopulated and none of those birds will be used for food, according to the release. A control area of 10 kilometers has been established around the farm, stopping the movement of any poultry within that radius.

“DATCP continues to urge all livestock owners to implement strong biosecurity measures to protect their flocks and herds from the disease,” the release states. “This includes washing hands, disinfecting equipment, restricting access to animals, and separating new additions to the flock or herd for at least 30 days. Poultry owners are asked, when possible, to keep their birds indoors.”

Avian flu, or H5N1, has circulated among wild and domesticated birds in North America since 2021, the release states. Other animals, including dairy cows, have also been infected. The virus has been transmitted to a number of humans across the country through raw milk from infected cows. 

Wisconsin has not identified any cases of the virus in the state’s dairy herds.

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