Nebraska Examiner Press Release
BY: AARON SANDERFORD
LINCOLN — The Nebraska Department of Agriculture, working with USDA and its Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, has announced five cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Nebraska poultry flocks — four of them this month.
The two latest cases were found in a small backyard chicken flock in Sarpy County and a mixed backyard flock in Lancaster County.
State ag officials report that the previous two from December were detected in a commercial turkey flock in Nemaha County and one in a small backyard chicken flock in Dodge County. The earlier case in Gage County came from a commercial flock.
State Veterinarian Dr. Roger Dudley had said he expected to see more instances of the “highly contagious virus” because it was circulating in wild birds, commercial and backyard flocks.
He urged poultry producers to monitor their birds because the avian flu spreads easily through nasal and eye secretions, along with food, water, and waste.
Ag officials said signs of avian flu in poultry include drinking less water, eating less, producing fewer eggs, producing soft or oddly shaped eggs, coughing, wheezing, sneezing, and diarrhea.
“Knowing the signs and symptoms of HPAI and continuing to practice good biosecurity measures helps prevent the spread of this disease,” Dudley said in a statement.
