Iredell Informed Newsletter March 2022

Safety Facts & Tips:

Each year, over 100,000 people go to the ER due to an ATV injury, so make sure to wear a helmet when riding on ATVs, be alert and attentive when operating this equipment.
Take care when around farm equipment such as augers, fans, anything with moving parts.
In NC, 51% of highway accidents involving farm equipment result in injury or death. When you see farm equipment on the roads, please slow down, be patient, stay back at least 50 feet. Remember.....NO FARMS, NO FOOD.

High Path Avian Influenza detected in wild bird in Hyde County

RALEIGH - A wild bird has tested positive for high path avian influenza in Hyde County, prompting reminders for commercial and hobby poultry growers to increase their biosecurity measures.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced the positive detection to stakeholders yesterday, along with the announcement of a second wild duck confirmed to have HPAI in Colleton County, South Carolina since Jan. 14. All three findings are H5N1 HPAI. These are the first wild birds in the United States to have Eurasian H5 HPAI since 2016. The positive samples were collected by USDA as part of its ongoing surveillance program for early detection of HPAI in collaboration with state wildlife agencies. North Carolina’s positive sample was collected on Dec. 30, 2021.
“These three positive samples tell us that high path avian influenza is currently present in the American Atlantic migratory flyway,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “While this virus is not a food safety issue, anyone with commercial or backyard flocks of poultry need to implement strict biosecurity measures. These measures include keeping your flock inside.”

Wild birds can be infected with HPAI and show no signs of illness. They can carry the disease to new areas when migrating. USDA APHIS anticipates additional wild bird findings as their wild bird sampling program continues into the spring.
This type of HPAI virus is considered a low risk to people according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, but it can be dangerous to other birds, including commercial and backyard flocks of poultry. The warning signs of HPAI include:

• Reduced energy, decreased appetite, and/or decreased activity
• Lower egg production and/or soft-shelled or misshapen eggs
• Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb and wattles
• Purple discoloration of the wattles, comb and legs
• Difficulty breathing, runny nares (nose), and/or sneezing
• Twisting of the head and neck, stumbling, falling down, tremors and/or circling
• Greenish diarrhea

If your birds are sick or dying, report it right away to your local veterinarian, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Division, 919-707-3250, or the N.C. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System 919-733-3986. If you have questions about migratory birds, hunting, or wild waterfowl found dead on your property, visit the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s website at www.ncwildlife.org.

Biosecurity Basics:
• Keep visitors to a minimum. Only allow those people who take care of your poultry to come in contact with your birds, this includes family and friends. Keep track of
everyone who is on your property at all times. Make sure everyone who has contact
with your flock follows biosecurity principles.

• Wash your hands before and after coming in contact with live poultry. In addition to
potentially spreading disease from farm to farm or bird to bird, you can also spread
germs such as Salmonella that can impact human health. Wash with soap and water
(always your first choice). If using a hand sanitizer, first remove manure, feathers, and
other materials from your hands because disinfectants will not penetrate organic matter or caked-on dirt.

• Provide disposable boot covers (preferred) and/or disinfectant footbaths for anyone
having contact with your flock. If using a footbath, be sure to remove all droppings,
mud or debris from boots and shoes using a long-handled scrub brush BEFORE
stepping into the disinfectant footbath, and always keep it clean.
• Change clothes before entering poultry areas and before exiting the property.
Visitors should wear protective outer garments or disposable coveralls, boots, and
headgear when handling birds, and shower and/or change clothes when leaving the
facility.

• Clean and disinfect tools or equipment before moving them to a new poultry
facility. Before allowing service vehicles, trucks, tractors, or tools and equipment—
including egg flats and cases that have come in contact with birds or their droppings-
to exit the property, make sure they are cleaned and disinfected to prevent
contaminated equipment from transporting disease. Do not move or reuse items that
cannot be cleaned and disinfected—such as cardboard egg flats.

• Look for signs of illness. Know the warning signs of infectious bird diseases.

• Report sick birds. Don’t wait. If your birds are sick or dying, call a local veterinarian,
cooperative extensive service, or state veterinarian. Call USDA toll-free at 1-866-536-
7593.

For more information about biosecurity practices, including checklists you can follow, visit the Defend the Flock Resource Center.

NCSU Horticulture Department is partnering with Longwood Gardens to provide a fully-online introduction to plant identification. These courses will introduce you to the language of botany, plants with global popularity, a few special plants from breeding programs at top horticulture institutions, and cultivation information for key plant species. By learning the fundamental language of botany, testing it with games, and being exposed to a carefully selected cast of plants that exhibit key identification features, participants will be ready to deduce mystery plants anywhere in the world!
Read more at: https://extensiongardener.ces.ncsu.edu/online-non-credit-courses/online-plant-identification-classes/

Do you or someone on your farm need some continuing education to put in your FARM Program Binder? Well here are some great opportunities to do just that!

N.C. Cooperative Extension is teaming up with the NC State Vet School to put on a bilingual FARM Program Training Series that will cover topics like Calf Management, Non Ambulatory Animal Handling, Transporting Dairy Animals, Stockmanship and Euthanasia. Check out the dates and locations and select the ones best suited for you, your family and your employees!

Each Workshop Will Offer

1 hour of Waste Credits
Certificate of Completion
Free FARM guides and resources

Each workshop in this series will have an English Presentation from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and a Spanish Presentation from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Extension has daily slots on the local radio station, WAME 92.9FM/550AM!

Check them out at 6:40am and 6:40pm

Mondays- Taylor Jenkins and Kelly Pierce for 4-H/Youth
   Development

Tuesdays-   Andrea Sherrill for Family & Consumer Science

Wednesdays- Melinda Roberts for Horticulture

Thursdays- Laura Elmore and Jenny Carleo for Crops and
  Livestock

Fridays- Nancy Keith, Dairy and Extension Director News

Need to get in touch with Extension Staff?

--Just click on the person below--

Agents/Associates:

Nancy Keith: County Extension Director, Dairy

Andrea Sherrill: Family & Consumer Science

Jenny Carleo: Area Specialized Agent, Grain Crops

Laura Elmore: Livestock and Crops

Taylor Jenkins: 4-H Youth Development

Kelly Pierce: 4-H Program Associate

Melinda Roberts: Horticulture

Associate Support Staff:

Beth Cloninger

Latoya Boller

NC Cooperative Extension
Iredell County Center
444 Bristol Drive Statesville NC 28677
704-873-0507