If
your fields or farm buildings have been flooded, take special
precautions against flood-related accidents or diseases in
poultry and livestock. Give animals extra care, particularly
if they have been stranded by floodwater, and have been off
regular feeding schedules. Keep fields clear of harmful debris,
and clean buildings as soon as possible. In addition, watch
for signs of flood-related diseases, such as lameness, fever,
difficulty breathing, muscle contractions or swelling of shoulder,
chest, back, neck or throat. Be prepared to contact a veterinarian
if you spot trouble.
Following
a flood there may be danger of infectious diseases in livestock,
but unless serious outbreaks of infection have occurred recently,
the situation should not be alarming. Observe these precautions:
- Where
large numbers of animals are assembled, watch for any indication
of infectious diseases such as pneumonia, foot rot or leptospirosis.
These diseases are more likely to occur where cattle are
crowded on wet ground and where horn flies and houseflies
are abundant.
- Promptly
report any sign of disease to a local, state or federal
veterinarian.
- Contact
a veterinarian about vaccinating animals for immunity from
flood-related diseases such as anthrax, blackleg and swine
erysipelas.
- Provide
clean, uncontaminated water.
- Inspect
feeds such as corn, wheat and hay. Do not feed flood-damaged
or moldy hay unless it has been tested for mycotoxins, toxic
substances produced by fungi.
- Do
not use any feed or forage that may have been contaminated
by chemicals or pesticides.
- Standing
water may have ruined some pastures. Lack of adequate forage
could force animals to eat poisonous plants. Remove fallen
wild cherry limbs from pastures to prevent livestock poisoning.
- Before
restocking flooded pastures, remove debris, especially along
fence lines and in corners. Livestock could be injured from
pieces of barbed wire, sharp metal and trash.
- Try
to milk at regular times. It is better to lose the milk
from one milking than to stress high producing cows.
- If
you must use a neighbor's milking parlor, try to keep the
two herds separate.
- If
feed supplies are limited, give the largest portion of available
feed to the highest producing cows and those recently fresh.
This may be a good time to cull the herd.
- Clean
and sanitize milking parlor, dairy barn and equipment before
returning to normal use.
- Watch
for signs of mastitis, which is likely to flare up if milking
methods, time and equipment have been changed.
- Clean
out hog houses, barns and chicken houses. Spray buildings
with a good disinfectant before animals occupy them again.
Air buildings thoroughly to dry them out.
- Remove
debris from dairy barns. Scrub and disinfect walls, ceilings,
floors, stanchions and other equipment.
- Scrub
the milk house and equipment with detergent and hot water.
Sanitize equipment, walls, ceilings and floors with dairy
sanitizer equipment.
- Dispose
of animal carcasses promptly. If there is no rendering company
operating nearby, burn or bury carcasses deeply in a place
approved by your local soil conservation office.
Mosquitoes
and other pests may be abundant after a flood. They not only
annoy animals, but some species carry disease. Spray animals
with an insect repellent as recommended by your county agricultural
agent.
Additional
resources:
Your county agricultural agent, your local veterinarian
Disclaimer and Reproduction Information: Information in
NASD does not represent NIOSH policy. Information included in
NASD appears by permission of the author and/or copyright holder.
More