2022-11-08 BIRDS Newsletter Fall.indd 1 11/8/22 5:51 PM

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Defend the Flock Newsletter Fall/Winter Edition 2022 

Defend the Flock: Your Biosecurity Bulletin 

Q&AVet for a Day: A Talk

 with Dr. Koren Custer

We asked Dr. Koren Custer, former HPAI National Incident 

Coordinator at USDA APHIS, what it is like to “Defend our Flocks.” 

1. What inspired you to

specialize in veterinary

medicine? I grew up in a very

small town in West Virginia

nestled in the Ohio River Valley.

My grandfather was an oldschool veterinarian in the James

Herriott style who traveled up and

down the Ohio River serving the

many dairy farmers in the area. I

grew up hearing his stories and

playing in his veterinary offce,

and knew from as early as I can

remember that I wanted to be a veterinarian like him. Some of 

the highlights of my career were working with the same dairy 

farmers that my grandfather had served decades earlier! 

2. How did you become involved with USDA APHIS

and what is your current role? I was the Assistant State

Veterinarian for the state of West Virginia for a few years before

applying for a federal position as a Field Veterinary Medical

Offcer in southeast Georgia. I have since served in several

roles with USDA APHIS, and currently am the District 1 Director

with our Field Operations unit. During the 2022 HPAI response,

I’ve served as the National Incident Coordinator. As such,

I’ve been responsible for coordinating the federal aspects of

the response and have served as a point of contact for our

State Animal Health Offcials and industry stakeholders.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

3. You assisted with the 2014/2015 HPAI outbreak. How

did that prepare you for your current role as National

Incident Coordinator? I was deployed three times in 2015,

once to Minnesota and twice to Iowa, where I served in various

roles including case manager. I saw frsthand the impact that

outbreak had on affected producers, and I’ve tried to carry that

knowledge with me in this 2022 response. I never want to lose

focus on the impact that every decision has for our stakeholders.

This 2022 response is different in so many ways than that 

of 2014/2015. While the total number of birds affected by 

the virus is less this year, the number of affected states and 

affected focks is greater in 2022. We’ve also seen a much 

greater number of backyard focks affected this year, so 

folks not associated with our larger poultry industry have 

experienced an impact that they’ve never seen before. 

If you see signs of illness in your 

birds,take action right away and report 

sick birds at 866-536-7593 or visit 

the Defend the Flock website on 

aphis.usda.gov for resources. 

4. Did lessons learned in 2015 reduce the scope of the

2022 outbreak? We saw much less farm-to-farm transmission

this year than what occurred in 2014/2015. Not only have there

been improvements in biosecurity by the poultry industry, but

APHIS, state partners, and industry stakeholders did a lot of

work in “peace time” to prepare and improve our collective

response capabilities. I’m confdent that all these efforts lessened

the opportunity for farm-to-farm transmission and contributed

to the successes we’ve seen this year in fghting this virus.

 continued 

Report Sick Birds 

If you see signs of illness, take action right away! 

Veterinarian 

Cooperative Extension Offce 

State Veterinarian/Animal or Poultry Diagnostic Lab 

USDA 

Phone Number

 866.536.7593 
 

2022-11-08 BIRDS Newsletter Fall.indd 2 11/8/22 5:51 PM

Defend the Flock Newsletter Fall/Winter Edition 2022 

Q&AVet for a Day: A Talk

 with Dr. Koren Custer 

continued 

5. APHIS has deployed many personnel to assist with

the response. Can you tell me about the work these

responders have been doing? The APHIS and state personne

who have fought this virus at the ground level are the unsung

heroes of this response. There are many different types of jobs

these responders engage in, but regardless of the job that

they’re doing, the work is diffcult and the days are long. These

individuals are also assisting producers through what can be

the worst times in their lives, so the emotional toll is great too, 

l 

I cannot emphasize enough how 

important biosecurity and biosecurity 

plans are for success against this virus. 

- Dr. Koren Custer

APHIS personnel can be deployed anywhere from 21 to 28 

days and have been deployed multiple times. The days and 

months spent away from their homes and families stack up 

quickly. Even for the individuals that are not deployed but are 

fghting this battle in their own backyards, the cost is great. 

Their days, nights, weekends and holidays are dedicated to this 

response and life does not go back to normal for many months. 

6. If HPAI is detected at a farm or facility, what can

fock owners expect? Quick action is key and impacted

producers can expect a furry of activity on their premises.

A detection of HPAI on one’s farm is extremely diffcult and

stressful, and we in APHIS try very hard to be as respectful,

open, and communicative as possible with folks in this

situation. Immediately upon every new detection, a state or

APHIS case manager is assigned to the affected premises.

This individual is the liaison for the impacted fock owner

so that they are fully involved in the response and aware of

everything that will need to happen on their farm, and so that

they have a voice about what’s happening on their facility.

Unfortunately, a fock owner doesn’t have to own infected birds 

to be affected by HPAI. A control area is created around each 

infected premise with the intent of monitoring the area for spread 

of the disease and limiting the potential for this spread as much 

as possible. Nearby focks are tested, and movement restrictions 

are put in place. While it is an inconvenience for those in the area, 

it is one of the most important actions that can be taken to ensure 

that the virus doesn’t spread like wildfre throughout the area. 

7. What can fock owners do to prepare for future

outbreaks of HPAI? I cannot emphasize enough how important

biosecurity and biosecurity plans are for success against

this virus. Biosecurity is what keeps a ensure the virus.

Important, too, is planning for the worst-case scenario. It’s 

imperative that you work with your local state and APHIS 

personnel, and your industry representatives, to have a plan in 

place so that if your farm becomes impacted, you can hit the 

ground running and not lose crucial days. If you don’t know who 

your local APHIS point of contact is, you can start here: www. 

aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/contacts/feld-operations-districts. 

pdf. They will work with you to answer any questions that you 

might have regarding HPAI preparedness for your farm. 

Birds infected with the HPAI virus may 

show one or more of the following signs: 

• Sudden death

• Lack of energy and

appetite

• Decreased egg

production

• Soft-shelled or

misshapen eggs

• Swelling of head,

comb, eyelid,

wattles, and hocks

• Purple discoloration

of wattles, comb,

and legs

• Nasal discharge,

coughing, and

sneezing

• Incoordination

• Diarrhea

For more information about how to keep your focks healthy, follow Defend the Flock on 

Facebook and Twitter and visit www.aphis.usda.gov/animalhealth/defendthefock. 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.