Bird flu threatens chickens and turkeys

Bird flu killed nearly 7 million chickens and turkeys in 13 states this year, and authorities and farmers find it very difficult to prevent the disease from infecting poultry, despite best efforts. I urged you to admit it.

The epidemic of the disease is mainly due to the droppings of wild birds, such as ducks and geese, which often show no signs of the disease. However, studies show that the virus can be tracked to safe chicken and turkey barns by equipment, workers, mice, birds, and even dust particles.

Infected wild birds have been found in at least 21 states, and the virus circulates in migrating waterfowl in Europe and Asia for nearly a year.

State and federal authorities hope that the disease will not spread so widely. When it occurred in 2015 As a result, about 50 million chickens and turkeys died, and egg and meat prices soared. Bird flu has hit more than 200 farms in 15 states, costing the federal government about $ 1 billion and the poultry industry an estimated $ 3 billion.

Still, without confidence in how to stop the disease, authorities are uncertain whether it will decline on its own. Food prices are already rising Chicken, turkey and egg prices can be even higher if the outbreak of bird flu spreads to sufficient farms due to inflation and supply chain issues.

“I don’t see any major outbreaks, so I think it’s premature to worry about food and price impacts at this point, but that can become a problem over time. We need to admit that, “said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.

This year, the first case was found in a commercial facility in Indiana in February. Since then, 6.6 million spawning and broiler chickens and 341,000 turkeys have been sorted and usually buried in trenches on the premises.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture states that the virus does not cause food quality problems because infected farm birds must be screened and do not enter the food processing system. Nevertheless, as a general food safety measure, it is advisable to properly handle and cook all poultry and eggs up to an internal temperature of 165 ° F.

Scientists are convinced that wild birds are spreading the disease, but they are not sure how the virus can invade safe barns.

Dr. Jeff Kaisand, an Iowa veterinarian, was asked about the first case in Iowa in a commercial turkey herd and said, “I don’t know exactly how that happened.” ..

This is a particularly big question in Iowa. Major spawning conditions There are 49 million chickens. Last Friday, Iowa conducted its first spawning operation this year, killing about 919,000 chickens.

On Monday, the disease was confirmed in 3 million hens on an egg-layer farm in Wisconsin.

The USDA reported in its 2017 report that the 2015 outbreak survey was not definitive, but the spread among facilities was primarily shared equipment, employee clothing or boots, and feed distribution and other He said it occurred in a vehicle used for the purpose.

The disease can also be spread by birds pushed into buildings and by mice chasing inside.

“Looking at the final epidemiological analysis of 2015, there was no referral source. They couldn’t draw any conclusions,” said Veterinary, Veterinary Diagnosis and Production Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University. Dr. Yuko Sato, an associate professor of the university, said. “I think each referral is probably independent. It’s not just one weak link.”

Greg Langmo, a Minnesota turkey farmer who lost 90,000 turkeys in 2015, is so far grateful to his state, one of the country’s leading turkey producers.He said the peasant Follows biosecurity protocolGo far away from the barn, starling and swallow’s nest.

“We are very much hoping that some of the new strategies we are adopting will be enough to stop it,” he said. “We are doing our best and will play the cards we have.”

Studies in the United States and France since 2015 suggest that the virus may be carried by wind-carried dust particles. This has created new protocols to mitigate airborne infections in the event of an outbreak, such as killing infected birds within 24 hours, strengthening inspections and additional precautions within a 6-mile radius of the infected facility. rice field.

“Since the birds that carry the virus are usually wild waterfowl (duck, geese, wigeons), there is no way for these birds to enter the barn. It will be something else that brings it, but outside. Just knowing that is not safe, that’s the only reasoning we can make, “Sato said.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said recent bird flu infections in herds did not indicate imminent public health concerns. Human cases of these avian influenza viruses have not been detected in the United States. It can infect humans, but it is rare and usually due to close contact with infected birds.