Minnesota’s poultry industry is beginning to recover from the avian influenza outbreak, with control zones being lifted and some of the farms starting to repopulate.
Between March 4 and June 5, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported 105 confirmed cases of avian influenza, affecting just short of 8 million birds in 22 counties. Most of those cases were in commercial turkey flocks.
Avian influenza quarantines released
Kandiyohi County was the county hardest hit by the virus, with 38 confirmed cases. However, Minnesota animal health officials have released the farms in the county from its avian influenza quarantine. Seventeen other counties have had their quarantines lifted as well, according to a report from the Star Tribune.
Farms affected by avian flu beginning to repopulate
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health stated that 37 of the farms affected by avian influenza have started to rebuild their flocks. The first farm to start to repopulate was also the first one in the state to be infected. That farm, located in Pope County, was home to a flock of about 44,000 birds that were affected by highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza.
Minnesota had more farms affected by avian influenza than any other state, but it ranks second to Iowa in terms of the number of birds affected. An estimated 31.7 million birds were susceptible to avian influenza at 75 farms in Iowa.
Bookmark the WATTAgNet avian influenza update page for current news and analysis concerning avian influenza and its impact on the global poultry industry.
