Results for: Poultry Litter

The feeding of poultry litter, which contains manure, feathers, and other waste materials, to livestock has become a common practice but raises concerns about disease transmission. The recent outbreak of avian flu in dairy cows across the Midwest has prompted scrutiny of this practice, as the source of infection remains unclear. Poultry litter has been linked to previous disease outbreaks, including botulism. However, the federal government and many states do not regulate the use of poultry litter in animal feed, and regulations vary widely. Only California prohibits feeding poultry litter to lactating dairy cows. Experts urge the use of common sense and recommend that poultry litter not be fed to dairy or beef cattle within 21 days of slaughter to minimize the risk of contamination.

Epidemiologists are investigating the possible link between the recent avian flu outbreaks in dairy cows and the use of poultry litter in animal feed. Poultry litter, which is a mixture of manure, feathers, and other materials, can contain disease-causing bacteria and viruses, including the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian flu. Although the practice of feeding poultry litter to cattle is legal in many states, it raises concerns about the potential for disease transmission and the safety of the food supply. California has banned the feeding of poultry litter to lactating dairy cows, but it is still legal to sell it as feed for beef and other cattle. While the federal government does not regulate poultry litter in animal feed, some states have implemented their own regulations to address contamination and processing concerns.