What to do with livestock carcasses and the 2024 legislative session is underway

Minnesota Board of Animal Health sent this bulletin at 02/15/2024 07:20 PM CST

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Animal Bytes

February 2024

Keeping adorable baby poultry at arm's length

If you just so happen to be holding onto a baby chick right this moment, please put it down and read our story first. Let's face it, winter has been non-existent across most of the state and many of our minds have already turned toward spring and the promise of a new garden or backyard coop full of chirping chicks. While the temptation to pick up and snuggle up to these chicks can be intense, you should know all the pros and cons. Starting with the pros, they're soft, fluffy, and a great backyard hobby, need we say more? The cons however, include some bacteria that could make some people seriously sick. Keeping this in mind, there are some simple steps you can take to reduce the risk of infection among poultry and from poultry to people and pets.

Poultry may naturally carry bacteria like Salmonella or Campylobacter without getting sick themselves. The same can't be said for people. However, it's not all doom and gloom, there are many simple measures poultry owners can take to reduce all kinds of disease risks.

Wash your hands before and after handling poultry or touching anything in their coop.
Wear coop-specific clothing and boots so you don’t give diseases a chance to hitch a ride inside your house. Remember to remove these clothes and boots before entering your house.
Young children (under 5-years-old) and people with weakened immune systems should not pet or hold poultry. Looking is fine (look with your eyes, not with your hands).
Keep your poultry in a dedicated outdoor space and don't let them inside your house.

For more information on how to keep yourself and your family healthy around birds, check out this website from our friends at the Minnesota Department of Health.

On the animal side of things, we at the Board of Animal Health are getting ready to launch a bunch of new resources to guide poultry owners through keeping their birds healthy and free of disease. Look for new material and information in upcoming editions of Animal Bytes!

Keep reading...

What to do when or if your livestock passes away

Did you know there are state laws about how to properly dispose of a livestock carcass? These laws are meant to protect the environment and reduce the risk of the potential spread of disease. It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the different carcass disposal options before a death occurs because when an animal dies it must be disposed of within 72 hours. Please note, the 72 hour mandate doesn't apply to animals slaughtered for consumption.

Visit our website for a detailed breakdown of the carcass disposal options. In the meantime, here's a brief list of legal disposal options in Minnesota:

Compost
Render (contact a licensed renderer for pickup)
Landfill
Incinerate
Bury

Need the to-go version of all this information? We put together a short guide to livestock carcass disposal in Minnesota.

A message from our friends at the Farm Advocate Program

Winter can be a hard time for anyone, but especially for farmers facing difficult decisions about the year ahead. Need help doing cash flow projections? Concerned about a loan? Farm Advocates throughout Minnesota are available to help, in confidence and free of charge.

Visit www.mda.state.mn.us/farmadvocates or call 833-600-2670 to reach one near you.

Legislative session underway

The Minnesota State Legislature kicked off the 2024 session on Monday, February 12. You can follow hearings and legislation on the state's multimedia webpage.

Need to contact your senator or representative? Use the, "Who Represents Me?" tool to lookup your elected officials.

February 6 Board Meeting recording posted

The Board of Animal Health wrapped up its first quarterly meeting of 2024 last week. View the February meeting recording on the Board website.