Deadly bird flu reappears in U.S. commercial poultry flocks in Utah and South Dakota
MINNEAPOLIS –
Highly pathogenic fowl flu has made its first appearances in U.S. industrial poultry flocks this season, affecting one turkey farm in South Dakota and one in Utah and elevating issues that extra outbreaks may observe.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that avian influenza, which is lethal to industrial poultry, was confirmed in a flock of 47,300 turkeys in Jerauld County, South Dakota, on Oct. 4 and at a farm with 141,800 birds in Utah’s Sanpete County final Friday.
The outbreaks are the primary reported amongst industrial flocks within the U.S. for the reason that illness struck two turkey farms within the Dakotas in April. Infected flocks are usually destroyed to forestall the flu’s unfold, after which the farms are decontaminated.
Before final week, the one studies of fowl flu in latest months within the U.S. in latest months have been sporadic appearances in yard flocks or amongst wild birds reminiscent of geese, geese and eagles. While wild birds usually present no signs of avian influenza, infections in them are a priority to the poultry trade as a result of migrating birds can unfold the illness to susceptible industrial flocks.
“I don’t doubt that we will have more cases,” South Dakota State Veterinarian Beth Thompson stated in an interview Tuesday. “I would be very pleasantly surprised if we’re done because migration is just starting.”
Bird flu final yr price U.S. poultry producers almost 59 million birds throughout 47 states, together with egg-laying chickens and turkeys and chickens raised for meat, making it the nation’s deadliest outbreak ever, in keeping with USDA figures. The outbreak precipitated spikes in egg and turkey costs for customers and price the federal government over US$660 million.
The toll from a 2015 outbreak, deemed the most costly animal well being catastrophe in U.S. historical past with over US$1 billion in prices to the federal government, was almost 51 million birds in 15 states.
Bird flu infections in people are comparatively uncommon and are not thought-about a meals security danger. But because it hits different species, together with some mammals, scientists concern the virus may evolve to unfold extra simply amongst folks. Cambodia this week reported its third human demise from fowl flu this yr.
Agriculture officers think about this yr’s circumstances to be a part of final yr’s outbreak, which reached the U.S. in February 2022 after spreading in Europe. The U.S. has imposed periodic restrictions on poultry imports from Europe to restrict the potential for unfold. Thompson stated the virus by no means fully went away, not like in 2015, and that the model now circulating is actually the identical that unfold final yr.
“Were just encouraging bird owners to make sure they’re increasing their biosecurity practices because avian flu is still out there and it’s easy to contract,” stated Bailee Woolstenhulme, spokesperson for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.
However, producers have saved their biosecurity tight for a number of years, and there’s little extra that farmers can do past the steps they’ve already taken to attempt to preserve the virus out of their flocks. The most important technique is to forestall droppings of untamed birds from being tracked into poultry barns on employees’ footwear and clothes, or from hitchhiking on farm tools, mice, small birds and even mud particles.
This was Utah’s first case this yr, Woolstenhulme stated, however 16 turkey farms, one egg farm and several other yard flocks have been affected within the state final yr.
South Dakota producers misplaced almost 4 million birds final yr. Iowa, the hardest-hit state, with almost 16 million birds misplaced, hasn’t recorded a case since March.
