The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratory (NVSL) confirmed a new case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a backyard flock in Weld County, Colorado. The flock experienced a high mortality event, losing 20 of 24 chickens in the flock, after exposure to sick and dying wild geese on the premises. The remaining birds in the flock were euthanized.
On September 25th staff from CDA, USDA and the Colorado Attorney General's Office toured an aquaculture facility to learn more about Colorado’s aquaculture industry. The team was able to learn how fish are grown and stocked, the differences in water sources, regulatory considerations, and fish health and veterinary medicine considerations. Learning more about aquaculture will help CDA and USDA to better support the needs of the industry.
In the past, animal mistreatment and neglect or abuse of people were usually perceived as two separate issues. More recently, an increasing amount of research has shown a direct link between human and animal mistreatment. Professionals in animal law enforcement and human social work have found that difficult life circumstances and mental health life challenges are at the root of many of these linked cases.
Today, Colorado State Veterinarian Dr. Maggie Baldwin released the last premises quarantine in Colorado enacted as a result of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak. With the release of the final HPAI quarantine, Colorado has achieved HPAI-free status as designated by the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).
The Colorado State Veterinarian’s office has confirmed the first case of equine West Nile Virus (WNV) of 2023 in a gelding residing in Weld County. The horse presented with sudden neurological symptoms including weakness, stumbling and recumbency and was euthanized as a result of his condition. The age and vaccine status for this gelding are unknown.
As Colorado legislators finalize the content of the state budget, the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) is praising lawmakers for their support of Governor Polis’s key budget requests that support agricultural communities across our state through passage of the state’s Long Bill.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) State Veterinarian’s Office was notified on March 28, 2023 that a horse residing in Garfield County had tested presumptive positive for Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA)
Because Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) continues to present a threat to birds across Colorado, the Colorado State Veterinarian’s office has issued updated guidance for poultry events, such as swaps, meets, and competitions. The guidance asks poultry owners to increase safety precautions and biosecurity practices, monitor their flocks for illness, and report any sick or dead birds to the State Veterinarian’s Office.