Birds can pass along bird flu to cattle, so dealing with outbreaks in birds can also protect cows.
According to Robert Michitsch, Professor of Soil and Waste Resources at UW-Stevens Point this strand of the H5N1 started in 2021 in Asia, and since has slowly made its way across the world through migrating birds making its appearance in the states back in spring of 2022.
Michitsch works to prevent the spread through birds that pass it along to cattle.
Michitsch said, "Primarily, we're focusing on our disposal efforts for chickens and turkeys, but it's something that's in the wild population and has the wild population population is going across the landscape as they have their droppings fall and that sort of thing as they're interacting with other animals it spreads pretty quickly for the birds it's quite devastating."
Before any fair this year it was announced all cattle had to be tested before entering to ensure the safety of the animals.
Once an outbreak is found cleaning and disposal teams like the one Robert works with go in and get rid of the virus.
Michitsch continued, "It's a three step approach. It's the euthanization, then it's the pleasing and disinfecting and then what I'm involved with with folks around our state, and University is more on the disposal end where we are ultimately composting the bulk of the chickens."
All birds at an affected facility are culled which can be a very tough and sensitive process for disposers as well as farmers.
"Especially the emotional toll that it sometimes takes on people whether it's the workers or the workers on site. It's an approach that we take where we know we're going into what we call a hot zone and seeing just the dynamics, the hours, that sort of thing, it's quite a big process," said Michitsch.
The virus can even be passed along from animal to human causing concern for farmers' health as well.
