Roughly 2 million US birds lost to HPAI over Thanksgiving weekend

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) persisted in several midwestern states over the extended Thanksgiving weekend, affecting both commercial turkeys and laying hens.

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Kateyna Kon | BigStockPhoto.com
Kateyna Kon | BigStockPhoto.com

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) persisted in several midwestern states over the extended Thanksgiving weekend, affecting both commercial turkeys and laying hens.

In total, four turkey flocks in South Dakota, one turkey flock in Minnesota, one layer flock in Nebraska and one layer flock in Missouri were locations of confirmed HPAI cases. While animal health agencies’ accounts for how many birds were in the Nebraska flock differ, the collective number of birds lost in these cases is approximately 2 million.

Avian influenza in Nebraska

On November 25, HPAI was confirmed in a commercial layer flock in Dixon County, Nebraska.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service (APHIS) stated that there were 1.7 million birds in the flock, while the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) stated the flock had 1.8 million birds.

NDA State Veterinarian Dr. Roger Dudley said the flock was being depopulated and disposed of in an approved manner. A 10-kilometer control zone has been established.

This is Dixon County’s second case of HPAI in 2022. The previous case was confirmed on April 12, and it involved approximately 1.75 million hens.

So far in 2022, Nebraska has lost 6.7 million birds too HPAI. Only Iowa has lost more birds during this outbreak.

Avian influenza in South Dakota

Four new cases of HPAI were confirmed in South Dakota, with three of those confirmed on November 25. Two of those were in Beadle County, involving 50,700 and 67,900 turkeys. The other oone was in Spink County, involving 55,500 turkeys.

Another case of HPAI was confirmed in Faulk County on November 23, involving 48,000 turkeys.

Beadle County has had eight HPAI cases in 2022, while Spink County has had four and Falk County has had two.

With these new cases, South Dakota has had 50 commercial poultry flocks affected by HPAI this year. Only Minnesota has had more flocks affected.

Avian influenza in Minnesota

Minnesota had its 79th case of HPAI in a commercial flock confirmed in Todd County on November 23.

This case involved a flock of 44,500 commercial turkeys.

Todd County has had five commercial flocks affected by HPAI in 2022 – all of which involved meat turkeys. The county has also had two backyard flocks affected this year.

Avian influenza in Missouri

HPAI was confirmed in a laying hen flock in Webster County, Missouri, on November 22, the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) announced in a press release. The farm operators had reported a sudden increase in mortality, according to MDA.

APHIS also reported this confirmed case, but it described these chickens as a backyard poultry flock. According to APHIS, there were 9,600 birds involved.

This is the first HPAI detection in this county, but Missouri had six previous cases in commercial poultry flocks, including four meat turkey flocks, one turkey breeder replacement hen flock and one broiler flock.

To learn more about HPAI cases in commercial poultry flocks in the United States and Canada, see an interactive map on WATTPoultry.com. 

Read our ongoing coverage of the global avian influenza outbreak.

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