(Radio Iowa) – A Midwest biosecurity expert says bird flu was spread from farm-to-farm in 85 percent cases identified during the 2015 outbreak, but only 15 percent of current bird flu outbreaks have been traced to nearby poultry operations. Abby Schuft, a poultry education trainer for University of Minnesota Extension, says that means it’s time to dig deeper into biosecurity measures.

“We are now beyond having clean boots and clean clothing when we enter the housing where our birds are,” Schuft said. “There are so many other environmental…factors that are playing into this on how the virus is spreading and being introduced to farm sites.” In September, Iowa officials confirmed Canadian geese in ponds in Dubuque County had bird flu.

Last week, U-S-D-A officials confirmed bird flu had hit a commercial operation in Calhoun County with 42-thousand turkeys. Schuft says poultry operators and people raising chickens in their backyard need to consider outside factors that could introduce bird flu to their flock. She notes standing water after a heavy rain can be a resting spot for migrating birds and harvested fields nearby offer a food buffet to wild birds.

“That’s a challenge then for our poultry producers when there’s wild waterfowl in lots of different places,” Schuft says, “which simply means then there’s opportunity for the virus to really just be everywhere.” Schuft suggests farm vehicles driven near poultry barns be washed frequently to prevent the spread of bird flu.

“Even as the weather’s cooling down, we don’t necessarily want to have to power wash our vehicles outside or our farm equipment, but we still need to be diligent about that truly until we absolutely can’t when the water might be freezing in the hoses,” Schuft said, “really ensuring that you’re not taking any shortcuts when you notice some of those seasonal changes that are happening.”

Federal records show eight poultry flocks in Iowa had been hit by bird flu this year — but last week’s Calhoun County site was the first since April. Bird flu has recently been confirmed in poultry at 13 commercial sites in Minnesota, in three commercial flocks in South Dakota and at two commercial operations in Wisconsin.