Avian Bird Flu Continues To Raise Concerns In Midwest

May 26, 2022

With the H5N1 avian flu strain sweeping the country, zoos are keeping their birds indoors. In Ohio, a backyard flock was infected, as were a few fowl in northwest Ohio. As a whole, numbers have remained low in the state and no cases were reported in April, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Division of Wildlife is working closely with the Ohio Department of Agriculture, USDA, and other state and federal agencies to monitor the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. It is a serious disease and requires rapid response because it is highly contagious and often fatal to chickens.

All Ohioans can report sick or dead wild birds suspected of HPAI at 800-WILDLIFE (945-3543) or wildohio.gov. The following bird species should be reported:

Any raptor, such as a bald eagle.
Multiple waterfowl, such as geese or ducks.
Any other large congregation of sick or dead birds.

HPAI occurs naturally in bird populations and is monitored closely by the U.S. Geological Survey. Native Ohio birds such as shorebirds, raptors and waterfowl are vulnerable to HPAI. Domestic chickens and turkeys also are vulnerable to HPAI. The virus is transmitted from bird to bird through feeding and interactions.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.