Agriculture
Avian flu no threat to United States
By Evan BelangerIf it tastes like chicken, it's probably, well, it could be anything.
But, according to the Alabama Department of Agriculture, it's probably not avian influenza.
In a phone interview Monday, ADA Veterinarian Brad Fields said American's fears of avian flu, more commonly known as bird flu, are largely unfounded.
While the disease can spread from birds to humans, it cannot be spread by eating infected chicken.
According to Fields, human acquisition of the illness generally results from what he called "intimate contact."
"These people are pretty much living with their chickens," he said. "Biosecurity in the U.S. is so much higher that the risk in minimal."
Fields went on to say that avian flu is not such a new thing.
"We've had avian flu in Alabama before. The only new thing is that this strand is extremely pathogenic and potent," he said.
According to the CDC, the current strand, known as H5N1, has killed more than 150 people world wide, but all of these people had close contact to chickens or some other infected bird. Of the people who are infected, Fields said 40 percent die from it.
While there is no vaccine for humans to guard against the avian flu, he said that the Americans should not worry about catching it from a bird, but from another human.
Currently, humans can only catch avian flu from birds, but if a human becomes infected with both H5N1 and human flu, there is a possibility that the disease could mutate into a form that could spread between humans, according to Fields.
"This has never happened before, but that is the concern," he said. "They are pushing flu vaccines to help prevent that event from happening."
For poultry growers in the U.S., the key is biological security, Fields said. For most that involves keeping migratory birds away from the chickens, disinfecting footwear and clothing before entering a chicken house and wearing hair nets.
Some farms go so far as to require showering and changing clothes on sight.
Fields also said that the ADA is consistently testing to help detect the disease in both wild and domesticated birds.
If infected birds are found they will be quarantined and destroyed, he said.
"I think the media has portrayed us as not prepared as we actually are," said Fields. "While it's a concern, I definitely don't think we're all going to die of the flu."
- Agriculture
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Festhall finale
By David Lazenby
davidl@cullmantimes.com
It’s last call for the Festhalle.
The first season of the Festhalle Market Platz comes to an end Saturday.
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Festhall finale
By David Lazenby
davidl@cullmantimes.com
It’s last call for the Festhalle.
The first season of the Festhalle Market Platz comes to an end Saturday.
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Utterly amazed
By David Lazenby
davidl@cullmantimes.com
A barnyard, cotton field and antiquated kitchen substituted for classrooms Wednesday as East Elementary School second graders got a hands-on history lesson.
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Cold Springs FFA repeat at fair
By Niamh Bailes
news@cullmantimes.com
Cold Springs High School’s Future Farmers of America club won the Cullman County Fair’s Herdsman Award in September but they are not resting yet. On Thursday, they are going for another win at the Alabama National Fair in Montgomery.
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Plumping up Pumpkins
By Niamh Bailes
news@cullmantimes.com
Whether for roasted seeds, sweet pies or Halloween lanterns, the fall season is not so colorful without the versatile pumpkin. There are as many varieties of pumpkin as uses for the fruit, but they all require similar conditions to grow.
“A lot of people have the idea that pumpkins are drought resistant,” said Arnold Caylor, director of the Experiment Station in Cullman, “but that’s not the case. As people have found this year, pumpkins need a lot of water.”
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Students come home winners at livestock Expo
Cullman County students won big at this year’s Alabama Junior Livestock Exposition, taking 27 slots in the winner’s circle, more than any other county.
- Farmers well represented at state event
- Some worry about virus mutating, causing pandemic
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Many things can affect size of pecan harvest
Poor soils and too much or too little water can adversely affect pecan production.
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Avian flu no threat to United States
Alabama Department of Agriculture veterinarian Brad Fields said American's fears of avian flu, more commonly known as bird flu, are largely unfounded.
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Festhall finale
