New Recordkeeping Requirements For Indiana Poultry Purchases, Sales

Last October, in response to the highly pathogenic avian influenza findings throughout the Upper Midwest, Indiana adopted new recordkeeping requirements for Hoosier poultry owners buying and selling birds. At the time, members of the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) did not foresee the discovery of the avian influenza H7N8 virus in Dubois County in January-which reinforces the need for good recordkeeping.

 

 

Under the new law, all sellers and buyers of poultry in Indiana must maintain records of flock additions and removals for 3 years. Records must include: names and addresses of buyer and seller, sale date, breed, sex, number of animals and reason for movement. This state requirement applies to all retail, swap meet, flea market, auction and private sales, including barters or trades.

 

"The finding of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Southern Indiana reinforces the need for the new recordkeeping rule," said Indiana State Veterinarian Bret D. Marsh, DVM. "In a disease event of this magnitude, the Board of Animal Health needs the ability to trace bird movements to ensure the disease has not spread. That is why we added poultry to Indiana's Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) rule."