BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - Montana health officials are warning waterfowl owners to keep their birds at home from county fairs this summer due to increased concerns about bird flu.
The Billings Gazette reports (https://bit.ly/1PLsJF1 ) that Montana State Veterinarian Marty Zaluski said Tuesday that the risk of spreading the flue at county fairs is too high. Since December there have been 40 million bird flu-related avian deaths, most of which were killed as a precaution after the illness was discovered on poultry farms.
Montana has only two reported cases of H5N2 bird flu and both stem from interactions with waterfowl. Other states have canceled all poultry exhibits this fair season, but state officials say Montana has so few cases the waterfowl ban will be adequate.
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Information from: The Billings Gazette, https://www.billingsgazette.com
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