EAST LANSING, Mich. — As the poultry industry continues to recover from the worst avian influenza outbreak in history, biosecurity remains a key tool in preventing the spread of the disease. To help Michigan poultry owners learn more about the avian influenza epidemic and effective biosecurity practices, the United States Department of Agriculture—Animal and Plant Health Division (APHIS) andMichigan State University Extension have collaborated to conduct a series of trainings. Poultry producers, owners of backyard flocks, 4-H members and volunteers, as well as anyone interested in poultry and biosecurity, are encouraged to attend as the trainings will give bird owners practical information on how to implement simple biosecurity practices to keep your flock safe. These practices include items such as:
Keeping your distance.
Keeping it clean.
Not bringing in disease.
Recognizing a sick animal.
These trainings are offered free of charge and are scheduled at multiple following dates and locations this spring:
April 18 at 7 p.m. at the Alcona High School in Harrisville.
April 20 at 7 p.m. at the Lapeer County MSU Extension office in Lapeer.
April 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mason County MSU Extension office in Scottville.
May 12 at 7 p.m. at the Kent County MSU Extension office in Grand Rapids.
For those unable to attend a session in person, a live virtual connection will be available, with an opportunity for questions and answers with the training instructors. Whether you will be joining in person or online, please register for the event. For additional information about avian influenza and biosecurity, visit the avian influenza webpage.
This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).
— Katie Ockert, Michigan State University Extension
For more news from Michigan, click here.