Suspension of Poultry/Bird Events Extended

Jun 06, 2022

In March, the State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) canceled all shows, public sales, swaps and exhibitions of poultry and other birds within the state as a precaution to reduce the risk of avian influenza exposure to North Dakota birds. The topic was revisited at their meeting yesterday. Poultry/bird events will continue to be prohibited until further notice.

“The trend of decreasing cases of avian influenza nationally is encouraging, but we continue to have wild bird infections detected across the state and domestic poultry cases continue to pop up,” State Veterinarian Dr. Ethan Andress said. “The board is continuing to monitor and assess the risk, which will be reviewed again at their Sept. 7 meeting.”

“Nationally, the outbreak has affected more than 37 million commercial and backyard birds in 36 states. North Dakota has had 167,000 birds in 10 counties affected,” Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. “This order will help limit the spread of the disease in the state and mitigate some of the risk associated with direct contact.”

Source : nd.gov

Video: FLEECED! Sheep Shearer Hands Over Clippers!

It's sheep shearing day at Ewetopia Farms! ?? Our Dorset lambs and ewes are getting fleeced — and for the first time, our shearer hands over his clippers to a beginner. We finish shearing the last of our adult ewes and this year’s Dorset ewe lambs.

From moving the sheep between barns, loading them into chutes, and watching the wool come off, this is always one of the most satisfying days on the farm. But this video has a twist — we welcomed a new helper, Gian, who’s not only lending a hand but also learning how to shear! With guidance from our experienced shearer, he got a crash course in sheep shearing and even tried his hand at shearing a couple of lambs himself.

You’ll see firsthand how both teacher and student handled this unique challenge. Shearing is more than just removing wool — it’s about sheep health, comfort, and giving us a closer look at the flock. It’s always amazing to see the transformation from woolly sheep to freshly shorn ewes and lambs.