♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ INDUSTRIAL SCALE MEAT PRODUCTION LOWERS THE COST WE PAY FOR MEAT.

THERE ARE OTHER LESS OBVIOUS COSTS TO US.

STAY WITH US AS WE TALK WITH Dr. JESSE LAY ABOUT INDUSTRIAL MEAT PRODUCTION AND OUR RISK FOR ZOO NOTTIC DISEASES NEXT ON KENTUCKY HEALTH.

THANKS TO INDUSTRIAL SCALE FARMING OF CATTLE, PIGS, CHICKEN, SHEEP AND OTHER TYPES OF ANIMALS, MOST OF US HAVE ACCESS TO EYE SUFFICIENT AND VARIED SELECTION OF PRODUCTS ATN A COST WITHIN REACH OF MOST A COST WITHIN REACH OF MOST OF US.

HOWEVER, AS THEY SAY, THERE IS NO FREE LUNCH.

THE SAME LARGE SCALE OPERATIONS HAVE ISSUES WITH WASTE DISPOSAL, POTENTIAL AIR POLLUTION ANIMAL WELFARE, TYPES OF FEED AND THE USE OF MEDICATIONS SUCH AS HORMONES AND ANTIBIOTICS TO FACILITATE GROWTH AND STAVE OFF THE SPREAD OF INFECTION MADE POSSIBLE BY CROWDING.

PERHAPS WE ARE NOW FACING A MORE INSIDIOUS PROBLEM AND THAT IS OF THE POTENTIAL OF INFECTION OF HUMANS WITH ZOONOTIC.

INFECTIONS.

AT THE TIME OF THE TAPING, AVIAN INFLUENZA BIRD FLU H1N1 IS SPREADING AND THERE HAS BEEN AND IS OF SIGNIFICANT CONCERN BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN AREPORT OF HUMAN INFECTION WITH H1N1.

TO TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT GOES INTO INDUSTRIAL ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND HOW ANIMAL AND HUMAN HEALTH IS INTERTWINED WE HAVE AOUR BEST Dr. JESSE LAY.

Dr. LAY EARNED HER DOCTOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE DEGREE FROM AUBURN UNIVERSITY AFTER GRADUATING FROM EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY.

SHE IS PAT PRESIDENT OF OF KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION OF STATE EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS AND NOW SERVES AS THE ONE HEALTH EXTENSION SPECIALIST AND SPECIALIST OF SMALL RUMINANTS AT THE MARTIN GAYTON COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY.

Dr. LAY, JESSIE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT OFTEN THAT WE GET A CHANCE TO TALK TO SOMEBODY FROM THE ANIMAL SIDE OF THE WORLD.

BUT TELL US, HOW DID YOU GET INTO VETERINARY MEDICINE?

>> SO I GREW UP ON A SMALL FAMILY FARM IN CENTRAL KENTUCKY.

ALWAYS LOVED ANIMALS.

AND GROWING UP, DAD HAD A RULE.

IF I WANTED A PONY, IF I WANTED A GOAT, WHATEVER ANIMAL I WANTED, WHEN I GOT HOME FROM SCHOOL, THE ANIMALS HAD TO BE FED BEFORE I WOULD EAT.

HE HAD TO BACK OFF THAT WHEN WE WEREN'T HAVING SUPPER UNTIL AFTER 9:00.

SO I JUST LOVED ANIMALS.

I STARTED WORKING AT A VET CLINIC AT 14.

AND I HAVE BEEN DOING IT EVER SINCE.

>> WELL, MANY OF US, YOU KNOW, WHEN DRIVING THE HIGHWAYS, PARTICULARLY AROUND HERE IN KENTUCKY, WE SEE SOME SMALL FARMS.

BUT THEN AGAIN WE WILL SEE SOME LARGE AREAS WHERE YOU HAVE LARGE NUMBERS OF ANIMALS OR EVEN LARGE PENS WHERE ANIMALS ARE ON THE INSIDE.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE THAT WE ARE SEEING OF THAT SMALL FARM THING AND THEN THESE LARGE, WHAT I TEND TO THINK OF INDUSTRIAL COMPLEXES?

ARE THEY DOING THE SAME THINGS?

>> SO, YOU KNOW, AS WE LOOK AT TRENDS IN THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY, IF YOU GO BACK 50 YEARS AGO, THERE WERE FAMILY FARMS EVERYWHERE.

SMALL FARMS AND, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DIDN'T FARM, YOU KNEW SOMEBODY WHO DID.

RIGHT?

AND SO NOW THERE IS A TREND WHERE, ESPECIALLY IN THE POULTRY INDUSTRY AND THE SWINE INDUSTRY WHERE YOU ARE SEEING A SMALLER NUMBER OF FARMS, BUT THEY'RE MUCH, MUCH LARGER.

WHEN YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND YOU BUY A CUT OF MEAT, LET'S SAY A STEAK.

THE FARMER THAT RAISED THAT ANIMAL ONLY GETS 15 CENTS FOR EVERY DOLLAR.

THAT'S NOT VERY MUCH.

OUR KENTUCKY FARMERS, OUR SMALL FARMERS.

THREE WEEKS AGO WHEN IT WAS SUBZERO TEMPERATURES OUR SMALL FARMERS WERE OUT THERE IN THE COLD.

THEY DIDN'T GET A DAY OFF.

THEY TOOK CARE OF THE ANIMALS.

THEY, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T SLEEP AT NIGHT.

THEY WERE TOSSING AND TURNING, WORRIED ABOUT THEIR STOCK.

MOST OF THEM, A LOT OF THEM EVEN HAVE NAMES FOR THEIR COWS MUCH THE AVERAGE HERD SIZE IN KENTUCKY IS LESS THAN 40 HEAD.

SO HERE IN KENTUCKY, WE ARE BLESSED TO STILL HAVE A LOT OF THE SMALL FARMS.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT WE CALL VERTICAL INTEGRATION, OF THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRIES, FOR INSTANCE, IN THE POULTRY OPERATIONS, YOU HAVE A SMALLER NUMBER OF FARMS THAT HAVE MANY MORE ANIMALS.

WHEN YOU GO DOWN SOUTH, SOME OF THESE LARGE POULTRY OPERATIONS WILL HAVE A MILLION BIRDS AT A TIME.

AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS ONE COMPANY WILL OWN THE HATCHERY.

THEY WILL OWN THE GROWER CHICKS, THE LAYING HENS AND EVEN THE FEED MULLS.

SO THEY CUT OUT THE MIDDLE MEN BY ONE COMPANY OWNING ALL STAGES OF PRODUCTION.

AND THAT MAKES IT EFFICIENT.

IT DOES LOWER COSTS AT THE GROCERY STORE.

BUT IT DOES KIND OF CENTRALIZE, YOU KNOW, FEWER FARMS.

THAT TAKES IT AWAY FROM WHERE THE GENERAL PUBLIC DOESN'T GET TO SEE AND TALK TO THE PEOPLE RAISING THEIR FOOD CHT SO IT DOES CREE-- SO IT DOES CREATE A DISTANCE BETWEEN THE CONSUMER AND THE PRODUCER.

BUT WE ALSO SEE GREATER EFFECTS WHEN WE HAVE ISSUES LIKE WITH THE AVIAN FLU.

>> SO I DON'T WANT TO CAST TOO MANY DISPERSIONS ACROSS SOME OF THE FACTORY POULTRY AND BEEF CATTLE INDUSTRIES, BUT I KNOW I HAD A NURSE ANESTHETIST WHO HAD A CATTLE FARM.

AND WE USED TO GET MEAT FROM HER.

AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE MEAT THAT WE GOT FROM HER WAS-- TASTED DIFFERENT THAN THAT WHICH WE GOT AT THE GROCERY STORE.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAD ANOTHER FRIEND WHO HAD RAISED CHICKENS AND AGAIN, THOSE CHICKENS AND THE EGGS LOOKED DIFFERENT AND THEY TASTED DIFFERENT.

-- IS IT JUST ME, MY IMAGINATION OR IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN THE QUALITY OF THE MEATS THAT WE ARE GETTING IN THESE SMALLER FARMS VERSUS THE BIGGER FARMS?

>> I DON'T THINK IT'S AS MUCH QUALITY.

BUT THE MEAT IS FRESHER FOR INSTANCE.

MOST OF THE LAMB SOLD IN GROWSRY STORES IN THIS COUNTRY ACTUALLY CAME FROM NEW ZEALAND.

SO WHEN YOU BUY LOCAL LAMB, THAT'S BEEN GROWN HERE IN KENTUCKY, IT IS SO MUCH FRESHER THAN SOMETHING THAT GOT SHIP ADD CROSS THE GLOBE.

BUYING KENTUCKY PROUD PRODUCTS, THOSE THE KENTUCKY PROUD STICKER, THE KENTUCKY PROUD LABEL IS PUT ON PRODUCTS THAT WERE GROWN LOCALLY HERE IN KENTUCKY.

THEY OFTEN TIMES MAY COST A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN SOME OF THE OTHER BRANDS, BUT YOU WILL FIND A DIFFERENCE WHEN THE MEAT OR EGGS ARE FRESHER.

THERE CAN ALSO BE A LITTLE BIT OF GENETIC VARIATION, GRASS FED VERSUS GRAIN FED WILL AFFECT THE TASTE OF THE MEAT OR EGGS A LITTLE AS WELL.

>> OKAY.

NOW IN THE BEGINNING, I TALKED ABOUT SOME CONS OF INDUSTRIAL FARMING: THE WASTE, THE CASE OF BEEF CATTLE, METHANE RELEASE CAUSING POLLUTION.

BUT AS YOU SAID, THE BIGGEST ONE I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS THE SPREAD OF INFECTION WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MANY ANIMALS IN A CONFINED AREA.

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT WE SEE WITH BEEF CATTLE AND SHEEP AND/OR PIGS VERSUS WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN THE POULTRY WORLD?

>> SO WHEN WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE AVIAN FLU SPECIFICALLY, THE SOURCE, WHERE IS THIS VIRUS COMING FROM?

THAT'S EVERYBODY'S FIRST QUESTION.

THE VIRUS IS COMING FROM WILDLIFE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE MIGRATING BIRDS, YOU KNOW, THAT FLY SOUTH FOR THE WINTER, AND NORTH FOR THE SUMMER, THEY COVER HUNDREDS OF MILES AND WHEN THEY'RE SICK, ANYTHING THEY FLY OVER, THEY PUT THOSE ANIMALS AT RISK.

NOW MOST OF OUR COMMERCIAL, THOSE BIG FARMS WITH A MILLION CHICKENS, MOST OF THOSE CHICKENS ARE RAISED INDOORS.

I UNDERSTAND A LOT OF PEOPLE WANT THE CHICKENS TO BE ABLE TO BE OUTSIDE, BUT BY RAISING THEM INDOORS, IT ACTUALLY DECREASES THE RISK OF DISEASES SUCH AS AVIAN FLU BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT EXPOSED TO THE WILDLIFE.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS, WHEN YOU HAVE FEWER LARGE FARMS, AND A DISEASE DOES AFFECT ONE OF THEM, IT AFFECTS THE SUPPLY CHAIN BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO SEE A GREATER IMPACT ON EGG PRICES WHEN ONE OF THESE LARGE FARMS DOES BECOME INFECTED.

VERSUS OUR SMALL BACKYARD PRODUCERS.

THEIR ANIMALS ARE AT A GREATER RISK BUT YOU PROBABLY WON'T HEAR A LOT ABOUT IT WHEN, YOU KNOW, ONLY 10 CHICKENS GET SICK.

>> GOTCHA.

YOU RAISED AN INTERESTING POINT ABOUT WE ARE GOING TO SEE EGG PRICES, WHICH WE ARE SEEING EGG PRICES GO UP BECAUSE SO MANY, I GUESS EGG LAYING HENS ARE HAVING TO BE SACRIFICED BECAUSE OF INFECTION.

WE ARE NOT SEEING THE SAME THING ON THE COST OF THE CHICKENS THAT WE EAT.

A ROASTER RATHER.

WHY IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?

>> THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENCES.

NUMBER ONE IS WE CALL THEM BROILER CHICKENS BUT THOSE ARE CHING INS THAT ARE BRED TO HAVE A LOT OF MEAT, RIGHT?

A LOT OF MUSCLE.

THEY'RE BRED FOR MEAT PRODUCTION.

SO CHICKENS GROW REALLY RAPIDLY.

OUR MEAT BIRDS ARE USUALLY JUST A FEW MONTHS OLD BY THE TIME THAT THEY HIT THE WEIGHT PROTO PROCESS THEM.

THE TYPICAL BROILER CHICKEN, THEIR LIFESPAN IS ONLY ABOUT THREE MONTHS.

VERSUS LAYING HENS, RIGHT?

THEY'RE NOT MATURE ENOUGH TO LAY EGGS UNTIL THEY'RE SIX YEARS OLD.

A LAYING HEN'S LIFESPAN IS GOING TOCK THREE OR FOUR YEARS.

SO THE TURNOVER, IF AN MAN-- IN ANIMAL DOES GET SICK, BROILERS, YOU'VE ALREADY GOT A RAPID TURNOVER WHERE THERE IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER CROP COMING IN A MONTH OR TWO VERSUS THE EGGS, WHEN THOSE OLDER CHICKENS, YOU SUFFER LOSSES, IT TAKES LONGER FOR THEM TO BECOME OLD ENOUGH TO LAY EGGS.

>> PERHAPS YOU CAN'T GENERALIZE, BUT SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED WITH THE USE OF HORMONES AND ANTIBIOTICS IN OUR ANIMALS TO FACILITATE THEIR GROWTH AND/OR PROTECT THEM?

>> SO, NO.

WE HAVE ONE OF THE SAFEST FOOD SUPPLIES AROUND THE WORLD.

SO YOU HEAR A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, I'LL SAY MISINFORMATION, A LOT OF THE ANIMAL RIGHTS EXTREMISTS DO PUSH A NARRATIVE THAT, YOU KNOW, FARMERS ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, FILLING THEM WITH ANTIBIOTICS, OR HORMONES.

NUMBER ONE, ANTIBIOTICS ARE EXPENSIVE.

SO YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE THEM TO ANIMALS THAT DON'T NEED THEM.

I DO PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE USE OF ANTIBIOTICS, WHICH MEANS ONLY TREATING ANIMALS THAT ARE GETTING SICK.

WE WORK VERY HARD IN THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY TO PREVENT ANIMALS FROM GETTING SICK.

THAT'S WHAT I DO ON A DAILY BASIS IS TRAVEL AROUND THE STATE DOING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ON HOW TO PREVENT YOUR ANIMALS FROM GETTING SICK IN THE FIRST PLACE.

WHEN IT COMES TO MANAGEMENT, I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF PEOPLE KNEW BETTER, THEY WOULD DO BETTER.

SO I WORK WITH FARMERS ON A DAILY BASIS TRYING TO HELP THEM KEEP THEIR ANIMALS HEALTHY.

BUT WHEN THEY DO NEED ANTIBIOTICS, AND ANTIBIOTICS HAVE TO BE ADMINISTERED, THERE IS SOMETHING CALLED WITHDRAWAL TIME, WHICH, FROM THE TIME THE ANIMAL IS GIVEN THE ANTIBIOTICS, THEY ARE LEGALLY NOT ALLOWED TO BE SLAUGHTERED UNTIL WE ARE SURE THAT THOSE ANTIBIOTICS ARE OUT OF THEIR BODY SYSTEM.

>> AS YOU ARE AWARE, ONE OF THE CONCERNS-- AND WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS IN A MINUTE-- A LITTLE MORE, I THINK-- WE ARE LOOKING AT ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT ORGANISMS NOWADAYS AND WE HAVE BEEN POINTING THE FINGER AS TO WHERE WE ARE GETTING THIS.

AND SOME OF IT HAS BEEN THE INJUDICIOUS USE OF ANTIBIOTICS AND BECAUSE THEY DO TEND TO HELP SOME ANIMALS GROW, OR AT LEAST HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO FACILITATE GROWTH, PARTICULARLY IN THE BEEF CATTLE, THIS HAS BEEN A CONCERN.

ALMOST LIKE YOU PAY A PREMIUM TO HAVE AN ANIMAL THAT SAYS NOT RECEIVED ANY ANTIBIOTICS AND/OR HORMONES.

THAT'S WHY I RAISE THE QUESTION.

>> RIGHT.

SO AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ANTIBIOTIC USE IN CATTLE, SO THE ANTIBIOTIC, YOU KNOW, THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE REFER TO FOR GROWTH IS SOMETHING CALMED CALLED-- IT'S NOT THE ANTIBIOTIC THAT IS SOMETIMES, NOT ALWAYS, GIVEN TO ANIMALS, YOU KNOW, FOR THE GROWTH, IS NOT ONE THAT IS USED IN HUMAN MEDICINE.

BUT SO WE'LL TALK ABOUT THE ONE HEALTH CENTER IN A MINUTE.

BUT WE ARE ACTUALLY BEGINNING TO DO RESEARCH WHERE THE ANIMAL HEALTH EXPERTS AND THE HUMAN HEALTH EXPERTS ARE COMING TOGETHER TO LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE CAUSES AND HOW CAN WE DECREASE ANTIBIOTIC RABZ ISSUES RESISTANCE ISSUES FOR BOTH ANIMALS AND PEOPLE?

>> I THINK YOU PROVIDED A GREAT SEGUE TO TALKING ABOUT THE ONE HEALTH CENTER BECAUSE WE CANNOT SEPARATE THE HEALTH OF THE ANIMALS FROM THE HEALTH OF THE HUMAN.

THEY ARE INTERTWINED WITH ONE ANOTHER.

SO TELL ME, WHAT IS THE ONE HEALTH CENTER THAT HAVE YOU OVER THERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY?

>> THE ONE HEALTH CENTERINGS A NEW INITIATIVE THAT WE HAVE JUST STARTED WITH A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE BILL GATTON FOUNDATION FOR OUR FUNDING.

IT HAS BEEN A GRANT.

WE ARE ESTABLISHING A ONE HEALTH CENTER SO THIS WILL HAVE AN ACADEMIC COMPONENT.

WE WILL HAVE RESEARCH COMPONENTS AND EXTENSION.

ONE HEALTH IS THE CONCEPT, THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HUMAN HEALTH AND ANIMAL HEALTHS AND THE ENVIRONMENT SO THEY ARE ALL INTERTWINED.

AT U.K., WE HAVE AMAZING RESEARCHERS THAT HAVE ALL BEEN WORKING ON VARIOUS PROJECTS BUT WITH THE ONE HEALTH CENTER, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS START BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.

IF THERE IS A DISEASE THAT CAN GO FROM ANIMALS TO PEOPLE, WE ARE GOING TO GET THOSE RESEARCHERS COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER, DOING PROJECTS WHERE THE KNOWLEDGE FROM EACH SIDE CAN BE LINKED TO FURTHERED ADVANCE OUR KNOWLEDGE WHEN YOU LOOK AT DISEASES SPREAD BY TICKS, RIGHT, WE ARE SEEING TICKS IN AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE WE DIDN'T PREVIOUSLY SEE THEM BECAUSE OF DIFFERENCES IN CLIMATE.

SO SO WITH THE TICK-BORNE DISEASES WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AN ENTOMOLOGIST OR BUG SPECIALIST WORKING WITH THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS TO TRY TO FIND ANSWERS AND CURES FOR SOME OF THESE CONDITIONS.

>> SO, AS WE LOOK AT-- WE HAVE RECENTLY WITHDRAWN FROM PARTICIPATION IN THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, WILL WE BE ABLE TO ACCESS INFORMATION ON DISEASES THAT ARE IMPACTING ANIMALS THAT MAY FURTHER HAVE AN IMPACT ON HUMANS AS READILY OR HOW DOES THAT INFORMATION GET TRANSMITTED IN YOUR WORLD AND IN THE WORLD OF ONE HEALTH CENTER?

>> ALL RIGHT.

SO HERE IN KENTUCKY, WE HAVE SOME AWESOME PEOPLE WORKING IN A LOT OF OUR AGENCIES.

SO ON A WEEKLY BASIS VETERINARIANS FROM THE CDC, THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, THE USDA OFFICES AND THE KENTUCKY OFFICE OF THE STATE VETERINARIAN ALL MEET AND SHARE INFORMATION BACK AND FORDS.

SO SO THERE ARE GREAT RESOURCE AS LONG WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE AS WELL.

ON THEIR WEBSITES THEY ARE STILL PUTTING OUT INFO SHEETS FOR THE PUBLIC, MAKING ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND THEN ALSO COOPERATIVE EXTENSION MUCH WE ARE ABOUT PUBLIC EDUCATION.

SO OUR COUNTY AGENTS AND OUR EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS ARE ALSO A GREAT SOURCE FOR SCIENCE-BASED INFORMATION.

>> GOTCHA.

YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED ABOUT MIGRATORY BIRDS AND HOW, AS THEY'RE PASSING ALONG THE POTENTIAL SPREADING DISEASE IN THIS CASE, AVIAN FLU, DO WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED IF WE ARE ONE OF THOSE PERSONS THAT IS GOING OUT AND HARVESTING DEER OR PERHAPS SHOOTING BIRDS AND THEN TAKING THEM HOME TO EAT?

IS THERE A GREATER RISK FOR THAT PERSON BEING EXPOSED TO A ZOONOTIC VERSUS AS YOU SAID, AS YOU TALKED ABOUT, WITH THE CHICKENS BEING GROWN INDOORS, POSSIBLE LESS RISK THERE?

>> RIGHT, SO AS FAR AS-- SO FOR AVIAN FLU WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH RISK, YOU KNOW, OUR FIRST CONCERN IS FARM WORKERS, SO THOSE PEOPLE THAT WORK DIRECTLY WITH DAIRY CATTLE OR POULTRY, AND SO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, YES, IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE AROUND A LOT OF WATER FOWL SPECIFICALLY, IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE EXPOSED TO MORE WILD BIRDS, I THINK THAT DOES INCREASE YOUR RISK AS WELL.

AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, CONSUMING PRODUCTS, PASTEURIZATION OF MILK, PROCESSING OF MILK, HEATING IT, DOES KILL THE VIRUS IN MILK.

COOKING YOUR CHICKEN OR WILD BIRDS THOROUGHLY, RIGHT, DOES KILL THE VIRUS AS WELL.

BUT AS FAR AS IF YOU ARE HAVING CONTACT WITH WILDLIFE OR WILD BIRDS, YES, THAT DOES PUT YOU IN A LITTLE MORE HIGHER RISK.

>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STEPS THAT ARE DONE AT SOME OF THE FARMS TO MINIMIZE CROSS CONTAMINATION OR INTRODUCE AN INFECTION TO A HERD OR TO A FLOCK OF BIRDS AT THE FARM.

>> BIO SECURITY.

AND SOME OF THE VETS FROM THE USDA ARE DOING LOTS OF TRAININGS ON THIS RIGHT NOW.

WE TALKED ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL POULTRY OPERATIONS, WHERE THERE IS SO MUCH AT RISK.

ON THOSE FARMS, YOU KNOW, YOUR TRUCK HAS TO STOP AT THE GATE, GO THROUGH DISINFECTANT.

A LOT OF THEM WILL EVEN HAVE SHOWER IN AND SHOWER OUT WHERE THEY DON'T LET STRANGERS COME ON TO THE FARM BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL OF BRINGING IN DISEASES.

SO LIMITING THE TRAFFIC OF INDIVIDUALS SAND QIPT.

DISINFECTING ANYTHING THAT IS COMING TO THE FARM.

IF YOU BUY NEW ANIMALS, KEEPING THEM AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE ANIMALS IN QUARANTINE UNTIL THEY'RE DEEMED TO BE SAFE.

I WAS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE FOR 10 YEARS AND OF COURSE I WOULD TRAVEL AROUND TREATING SICK ANIMALS ALL DAY.

WHEN I GOT HOME, THE BOOTS I WORE TO WORK NEVER WENT ON MY PERSONAL FARM.

MAKING SURE THAT WE FOLLOW STRICT GUIDELINES, WHEN WE MOVED FROM ONE FARM TO THE OTHER.

SO CATTLE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HERD ANIMALS, RIGHT?

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET COWS TO WEAR A MASK OR STAND SIX FEET AWAY FROM EACH OTHER.

BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WAL-MART EITHER.

SO WE CAN CONTROL THE MOVEMENT OF ANIMALS AND THE MOVEMENT OF WHAT COMES ON AND OFF OF THE FARM, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SANITIZING EVERYTHING THAT ENTERS TO KEEP THE AN MA'AMS SAFE-- ANIMALS SAFE.

>> TO BE CLEAR, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO TARGET EITHER.

I DON'T WANT YOU TO GET THE WAL-MART PEOPLE MAD AT ME.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

SO, YES.

LIMITING THE MOVEMENT IS MUCH BETTER.

THAT IS ONE BENEFIT WHETHER WE START TALKING ABOUT ANIMALS, WE CAN CONTROL WHAT THEY'RE EXPOSED TO SOMEWHAT.

SOMEWHAT.

WE CAN'T CONTROL THE BIRDS BUT WE CAN CONTROL THEM BEING AROUND OTHER ANIMALS.

I JUST WONDER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THINGS LIKE AVIAN FLU, IS IT THE LONGER WE SEE IT GOING FROM ONE ANIMAL TO ANOTHER ANIMAL, IS THERE A CHANGE THAT INCREASES THE RISK THAT IT MAY DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT CAN INFECT HUMANS AND CAUSE MORE SEVERE PROBLEMS THAN WAS WE HAVE ACTUALLY SEEN NOW.

>> RIGHT.

AND SO FLU VIRUSES COMMONLY CAN MUTATE.

THAT'S WHY WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT STRAINS.

AS IT GOES THROUGH ANIMALS, IT CAN CHANGE JUST A LITTLE BIT AT A TIME AND THAT CAN EXPOSE MORE.

AND I DO ALSO WANT TO MAKE THE POINT THAT WHEN WE HEAR ABOUT A POSITIVE CASE, YOU KNOW, OUR FIRST RESPONSE IS FEAR.

BUT THERE IS A REASON WHEN WE HEAR ABOUT A POSITIVE, IT'S BECAUSE OUR STATE AGENCIES ARE ACTIVELY OUT THERE TESTING ON FARMS.

AND WHEN THEY FIND A FARM THAT IS POSITIVE, THEY'RE NOT SWEEPING IT UNDER THE RUG.

THEY'RE BEING VERY FORTHCOMING.

AND WHEN THEY DETECT A POSITIVE HERD, ISOLATING IT AND PREVENTING THE SPREAD SO WHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT A TEST, THAT MEANS THEY'RE OUT THERE LOOKING FOR IT AND CONTAINING IT WITHOUT JUST LETTING IT SPREAD: HEARING ABOUT A POSITIVE IS VERY SCARY BUT IT NEEDS TO BE REASSURING THAT WE ARE MONITORING THE STATUS AND TRYING TO STOP THE SPREAD IS.

>> Dr. LAY WITH ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT, WOULD YOU GIVE US A FEW POINTS YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET RIGHT ABOUT INDUSTRIAL FARMING OR EVEN USING THE SMALLER FARMS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN KENTUCKY?

SOME OF THE MISS CONCEPTIONS, THINGS THAT WE SHOULD KNOW?

>> SO, THREE TAKE HOME POINTS IS NUMBER 1: I SUPPORT MY FARMERS, THE FARMERS I'M OUT THERE WORKING WITH EVERY DAY VERY MUCH CARE ABOUT THEIR ANIMALS.

THEY DO THE BEST TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.

ANIMALS THAT ARE NOT TAKEN CARE OF ARE NOT PROFITABLE.

OUR FARMERS REALLY DO DO THE BEST THEY CAN TO CARE FOR THEIR ANIMALS.

NUMBER 2: MOST OF OUR FARMS IN KENTUCKY ARE SMALL FARMS AND FAMILY-OWNED FARMS.

WHEN YOU PAY FOR A PRODUCT THAT SAYS KENTUCKY PROUD, I'M VERY CONFIDENT WITH ITS SAFETY AND OUR LOCAL FARMERS APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.

AND FOR THE LAST POINT, LIKE I SAID, OUR AGENCIES-- >> DON'T NEED A LAST POINT.

I'M GOING TO BUY KENTUCKY PROUD KNOWING THAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE OUT THERE KEEPING OUR FOOD SUPPLY SAFE.

I'M GOING TO FINISH IT FOR YOU.

Dr. LAY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TAKING TIME TO COME OUT HERE WITH US.

AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

I THINK THAT YOU NOW HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF SOME OF THE PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS SOBERED WITH PROTECTING OUR NATION'S FOOD SUPPLY ENSURING QUANTITY, QUALITY AND KEEPING IT AND US DISEASE FREE.

IF YOU WISH TO WATCH THIS SHOW AGAIN OR WATCH AN ARCHIVED VERSION OF PAST SHOWS PLEASE GO TO WWW.KET.ORG/HEALTH.

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT ABOUT THIS OR OTHER SHOWS, WE CAN BE REACHED AT KYHEALTH@KET.ORG.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON THE NEXT KENTUCKY HEALTH AND IF YOU ARE GOING BUY, LOOK FOR THE KENTUCKY PROUD LABEL.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON, CONTACT THE GOOD FOLKS AT YOUR EXTENSION AGENTS AND EXTENSION PROFESSIONALS AND THE GOOD FOLKS DOWN AT U.K.

AGRICULTURAL THAT ARE THERE TO HELP YOU.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TYPE.

EAT HEALTHY AND BE SAFE.

>> KENTUCKY HEALTH IS FUNDED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR A HEALTHY KENTUCKY.