Health
How serious is Michigan's bird flu? What does it mean for eggs and milk?
LANSING — The nationwide bird flu outbreak continues to spread in Michigan, where cases have been confirmed in poultry and cattle, prompting an emergency order from state officials earlier this month.
of Thursday news of 400 layoffs at Helbrook Poultry Farm in Ainia County, and 6.5 million poultry likely to be killed in Ionia County alone to stop the spread of the disease, were the latest signs that Michigan could have a broader impact. Ripple effects could also be felt in egg and meat prices and availability, and even his 4-H fairs.
Approximately 91 million poultry have been affected in the United States, with outbreaks occurring in 48 states as of Friday, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Additionally, nine states, including Michigan, have reported outbreaks of avian influenza in cattle, affecting 49 herds across the United States. Additionally, more than 9,000 cases have been detected in wild birds in 50 states.
The most recent outbreaks have occurred in backyard herds, starting May 2 in Gratiot County and May 10 in Ionia County, said Tim Bowling, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Bowling noted that the problem is not new to Michigan, as poultry has been affected several times in recent years.
“What makes the situation different today is that highly pathogenic avian influenza has been detected in dairy cows,” Bowling said. “Poultry farming operations have operated with high levels of virus security for many years.”
Here's what we know about this disease and its potential effects.
Is H5NI (Bird Influenza) dangerous to people?
Two human cases have been confirmed in the United States so far, but the World Health Organization says 889 people have been infected in 23 countries between 2023 and this year. In the United States, a poultry farm worker was infected in 2022, and a dairy cow infected a human in Texas this year.
More than half of infections worldwide are fatal, said Erin Sorrell, a senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security and an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Maryland. He told the association that the disease could be fatal to humans. American medical school.However, this was not the case in America.
The AAMC reports that a person who became infected after working with poultry in 2022 complained of mild fatigue and recovered, while a case in Texas this year caused conjunctivitis and the person recovered.
“Right now, this is a low-risk situation for humans,” Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told AAMC. But he warned that the situation could change as the virus spreads to more animals.
Bowling said there have been no cases of bird flu in Michigan.
“We remain extremely vigilant to ensure this virus does not mutate,” he said. “We continue to view the threat to public health as remaining low. We are focused on the animal response and do not consider future health threats.”
The CDC also said that while the public health risk is low at this time, it is “closely monitoring the situation and working with states to monitor people who have been exposed to the animals.”
Which counties in Michigan are affected by poultry diseases?
Michigan has seen a number of backyard outbreaks and a small number of commercial outbreaks, Bowling said.
Bowling said cases have occurred at commercial poultry farms in Ionia, Gratiot, Newago and Ottawa counties. In Barry County, a backyard herd became infected.
What are the effects on poultry?
Bird flu can have a devastating effect on flocks, with 90% to 100% of infected chickens dying within 48 hours, according to the CDC.
The virus is most commonly transmitted by wild birds and is highly contagious, with birds spreading the disease through saliva, nasal secretions, and feces. It can also be transmitted through contact with surfaces contaminated with the virus, according to the CDC.
According to the National Poultry Council, if an infection is detected in a herd, the entire herd is killed or the population is reduced in accordance with federal regulations.
Boling said the disease is highly contagious and deadly to all types of birds, so state and federal officials are working with producers to consider options as soon as an infection is confirmed. The result typically “is a decline in herd numbers because the disease is so deadly,” Boling said.
Bowling said MDARD is optimistic that “we do not see any further impacts to birds or commercial flocks from this.”
Greenstone Farm Credit Services, which produces financial forecasts for agricultural markets, said more than 52 million poultry died in 46 states, although Michigan's impact was far less severe.
Which counties in Michigan are affected by bovine diseases?
Infections in dairy herds have also been reported in Ingham, Clinton, Gratiot, Allegan and Isabella counties in the Lansing area, according to MDARD. The first infection was confirmed on March 29th.
Among the measures Bolling directed in his emergency order are quarantining infected cattle and banning non-essential visitors and recent access to poultry farms. The ministry notes that the spread of infection between herds is not fully understood by scientists.
So far, “this is the only disease detected in lactating dairy cows,” Bowling said. “I've never seen that in beef cattle.”
What is Michigan doing?
The city of Boring issued an emergency order on May 1 due to the spread of infection in cattle and poultry.
The order, dated May 8, requires farms to appoint a biosecurity manager, establish a secure perimeter to the farm with limited access points, and require cleaning and disinfection at access points for both vehicles and individuals. Implements requirements to establish practices and procedures. The farm must also maintain a logbook that records all vehicles and people exiting the vehicle and passing through the access point, and must make it available to MDARD personnel upon request.
Additionally, Governor Boling has established a ban on all lactating cows and cows in the last two months of pregnancy until Michigan has had 60 days without new cases of avian influenza. All species of poultry are prohibited from being exhibited until there are no new cases in the state for 30 days. This ban includes chickens, guinea fowl, turkeys, waterfowl, pigeons, pigeons, peafowl, and farm-raised game birds.
Michigan is the nation's largest producer of eggs and milk.
There are approximately 900 dairy farms in Michigan, raising approximately 440,000 cows, and the state ranks first in the nation in milk production per cow.
Is chicken or turkey safe to eat?
According to the National Chicken and Egg Council, avian influenza is not a foodborne illness. This means you cannot become infected by eating properly cooked poultry. Federal and state regulations also prevent infected birds from entering the food chain.
Boling described the actions of state and federal agencies as a “very strong response,” adding that the Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration and CDC “have been working together as a federal government to respond” to the outbreak. added.
Proper food handling and cooking practices are required when preparing raw chicken. Poultry is considered safe at 165 degrees, but best quality is determined to be 170 degrees for white meat chicken and turkey, 180 degrees for dark meat chicken and turkey, and 165 degrees for ground chicken and turkey. will be done.
Will this affect the price or availability of eggs?
Egg prices are rising in the United States, Although it is not expected to return to 2021 levels, the Associated Press reported..
According to the Associated Press, the average price of a dozen eggs was $2.99 in February, according to government data, down from $4.21 last year but higher than $1.59 per dozen in February 2021.
Emily Metz, president of the marketing group American Egg Board, told The Associated Press that bird flu is expected to affect prices. She explained that even after the pandemic ends, the egg market may take time to recover, as it takes three to six months to replenish chicken flocks. As the supply of eggs decreases, prices are expected to rise.
Metz also told The Associated Press that restocking farms with large numbers of chickens could cause prices to fall. That happened last summer as prices approached $2 a dozen.
Additionally, Michigan is one of the few states to implement cage-free facilities, increasing costs for producers with the transition. Michigan's rules go into effect this year, the Associated Press reported.
Regarding egg prices, Mr Bowling said: “We are still working to determine the impact. We are working closely with affected producers to ensure they can overcome these incidents and resume production as soon as possible. We are supporting this.”
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, egg prices are expected to fall by about 2.8% this year, the Associated Press reported. However, the growing threat of avian influenza may ultimately impact that forecast.
What about milk?
Bowling said pasteurization has been shown to kill the virus.
What does this mean for 4-H fairs?
“Unfortunately, this is not the first time that highly contagious avian influenza has occurred in Michigan,” Bowling said. “For poultry, they must avoid detection in backyards and commercial facilities for 30 days, and we are working closely with trade shows and associations to communicate that.”
He added that since the disease only affects lactating dairy cows, “there is certainly an opportunity to have other breeds of cattle at exhibitions.”
What's next?
“This is a public health issue for us, and it's also an animal health issue,” Bowling said. “We learned a lot very quickly and are putting safety measures in place for the farm.
“We are not out of the woods anyway. New cases continue to occur on dairy farms, impacting poultry operations. We are actively working on both Michigan's poultry and dairy farms. We are responding accordingly.”
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