Biosecurity is critical to avoid highly pathogenic avian flu outbreaks. While infected migratory waterfowl and their droppings are frequently blamed as the cause, human-mediated spread remains significant requiring continuous biosecurity vigilance.
Fully committing to biosecurity is crucial to shut down HPAI in the layer industry.”
In March 2022, Carol Cardona, DVM, PhD, University of Minnesota said, “if HPAI is currently spreading from farm to farm it would most likely be through “local area spread” which includes aerosols, insects, rodents, small birds or people not involved in poultry production, such as the mailman.” <Link>
Source: Successful Farming, November 4, 2022. Link. The recent HPAI outbreak on an Iowa egg farm brings losses to chicken and turkey growers close to the toll in the 2014-15 outbreak which cost the poultry industry some $3.3 billion.
Bird flu outbreaks usually dissipate during warm weather, but this year infections continued at a low rate through the summer in the West and reappeared in the Midwest after Labor Day according to USDA information.
Also see: Nearly 35,000 birds affected in Mississippi’s first HPAI outbreak, MEAT + POULTRY, November 8, 2022. Link.
Only four states — Hawaii, Louisiana, Alabama and West Virginia — have yet to report any outbreaks of HPAI.”
Also see: USDA releases map showing avian flu outbreaks in broiler-producing regions, AgriMarketing, November 7, 2022. Link.
Also see: HPAI biosecurity checklist, USDA. Link.
Also see: Preventing HPAI spread means taking biosecurity seriously, WATTPoultry, March 8, 2022. Link.
Also see: Bird flu 2022: What you should know, Backyard Poultry, February 2022. Link.