The Texas Animal Health Commission has asked for county Extension agents to activate the Animal Health Network in the 58 Texas counties that have the network in place.  The aim is for county agents to deliver fact sheets and posters about influenza A (H3N2)v  to feed retailers. The agents are urging retailers to display the posters in their stores or to  distribute the fact sheets to their customers.

The commission activated the network on Sept. 7. The campaign’s focus is to deliver important health information about H3N2 flu to customers who plan to attend fairs or rodeos this fall.

County agents have been asked to work with retailers to track the distribution of the materials and the delivery of the educational messages.

The posters and the fact sheets are available online at the commission’s web site.

During a disease outbreak, the Animal Health Network is designed to deliver critical information from the state veterinarian’s office to non-commercial livestock and poultry owners. This is accomplished through a network of county agents and feed retailers. Twenty-one U.S. states have committed to adopting the network.

Dr. Tom A. (Andy) Vestal,  principal investigator, developed the network with funding from the FAZD Center. Vestal is a professor and Extension specialist with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.