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Farmer uses lasers to protect flock from avian flu

By WGAL Staff

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    DALMATIA, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — There is one farmer in Pennsylvania taking extra steps to protect his livestock, and it sounds like something out of a movie.

Mike Martz of Martz’s Game Farm in Dalmatia, Northumberland County is implementing lasers on his farm to scare away wild birds that would infect his flock. His “Avix” laser device stands guard at several of his farm’s enclosures.

Martz says this is all in an effort to avoid a repeat of a tragedy from several years ago where a previous strain resulted in the loss of thousands of birds on his farm. He’s trying everything he can to make sure that doesn’t happen again, and recognizes while this isn’t a cure-all, it’s kept 80 to 90 percent of wild birds off his property.

Bird flu isn’t just a concern for farmers, it’s something that, while rare, humans can contract, too.

But, again, it is rare, and nearly all health officials say the spread of bird flu puts the general public at an incredibly low risk.

Report dead birds

You can report sick or dead wild birds to the PA Game Commission at 1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453).

If you’ve had contact with such birds and feel unwell, contact your primary care physician or the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 1-877-724-3258.

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Article Topic Follows: CNN - Regional

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