The One Health Initiative at UK works together with the KY Cooperative Extension Service to educate agents on the health of people, animals and the environment. 

One Health draws not only on the over 60 faculty members in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, but also on the entire university community to provide resources, education and research related to the health of people, animals and the environment to further disseminate information important to the state. Areas of importance include biosecurity, food safety and security, zoonosis (diseases spread from animal to man), vector-borne diseases (diseases mainly spread from ticks, mosquitoes and fleas), farm health and safety, plant and tree health, soil health and wildlife. 

The UK One Health Initiative will work with extension, UK colleges of Public Health, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy, State Public Health and other state agencies in educating farmers, county agents, veterinarians, physicians, rural populations and public health workers on the prevention of infectious diseases. Focus groups were formed with our agriculture & natural resources county extension agents throughout the state to educate them about the One Health Initiative. These focus groups helped establish the needs of the communities the extension agents represent. The focus groups helped develop recommendations to expand the One Health extension program to better serve UK extension agents and clientele throughout the state. Information gathered from the focus groups allowed us to determine capacity gaps and barriers in the communities and investigate opportunities to bridge extension and One Health. Future plans are to have focus groups with extension agents for other program areas to further identify needs.

The presence of extension agents in all 120 counties allows our agents and specialists to serve as the extension arm of UK, disseminating information about One Health topics, research and emerging diseases throughout the commonwealth.

Healthy Animals Need Healthy Humans

Highly pathogenic avian influenza can devastate farms and livelihoods. Simple biosecurity practices can keep your animals - and you - safe.

• Keep visitors to a minimum.
• Wash your hands before and after coming in contact with livestock.
• Wear gloves and safety goggles when milking cows or working with poultry.
• Use disposable boot covers or disinfectant footbaths.
• Change clothing before entering livestock areas or exiting the property.
• Clean and disinfect tools or equipment before moving from farm to farm.
• Manage livestock areas to discourage wild birds from settling or feeding.
• Never use untreated surface water for watering livestock or cleaning barns.
• Look for signs of illness and isolate any sick animals.

See additional information.

Report Sick Animals

• Don't wait to notify the appropriate agencies if you observe any symptoms and suspect highly pathogenic avian influenza.
• Call a local veterinarian, your local Cooperative Extension Service, or state veterinarian.
• Or call USDA toll-free: 1-866-536-7593.