ELLSWORTH — With dairy herds in 12 states, including Minnesota and Iowa, being detected for bird flu (H5N1) according to the Wisconsin State Journal, the Pierce County Fair and other Wisconsin fairs took precautions to ensure it did not happen in the area.

By not hosting milk cows at the fair as well as sending the poultry home before other animals arrived, Fair Manager Liz Dietsche and Chairman of the Pierce County Fair Committee Bob Traynor said the fair went as well as it could have given the circumstances. The animals at the fair were also grouped close to other animals from the same farm when possible.

The bird flu affects farm animals in a variety of ways, as it can be fatal to some animals including chickens, turkeys and cats and makes other animals including cows sick.

In a study from the Food and Drug Administration, they found the pasteurization process is effective at killing the virus.

According to an article from the Wisconsin State Journal, dairy cows in the state have to test negative for the virus prior to going to fairs this year. Dietsche said while the virus has not yet been detected in the state, they did not want their fair to be the first detection.

Traynor believes the flu has not reached Wisconsin due to luck. He said birds often eat at farm silage piles, and that can source some of the spreading on farms.

To fill in for the loss of milk cows and poultry for the fair, there were informational areas that taught attendees about the farming processes and about the disease.

Through meetings with Pierce County Fair staff, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), staff of other nearby fairs, the Pierce County Health Department, veterinarians and more, the decision was made to be cautious. Dietsche and Traynor said they made the decision as early as possible to stay ahead of things. When exhibitors were informed, Traynor said they understood why the decision was made.

Traynor said with many family farms relying on the health of their cows and other animals, they wanted to value their jobs and livelihoods through the decision.

Dietsche said one of the concerns for the potential spreading is the smaller size of the fairgrounds compared to other fairs. This was one of the reasons for the more cautious approach in Pierce County.

For the next fair, they hope to go back to normal in Pierce County, but as they found out this year, anything can happen.