Three commercial meat turkey flocks in South Dakota, three commercial layer flocks in California and one commercial meat duck flock in California are the latest victims of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak.
Avian influenza in South Dakota
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reported that the presence of HPAI was confirmed in two South Dakota counties on December 3 and another on December 4.
The first two confirmed flock infections involved 78,200 turkeys in McPherson County and 41,400 turkeys in Spink County. The following day, 65,300 turkeys in Charles Mix County were affected.
So far in 2024, South Dakota has had eight commercial flocks affected by HPAI, all but two of which involved commercial meat turkeys.
Avian influenza in California
APHIS reported that HPAI was confirmed in three commercial layer flocks in Merced County and one commercial duck flock in San Joaquin County on December 5.
According to APHIS, one of those layer flocks involved 1,723,800 hens, but numbers related to the other two flocks have not yet been shared. The duck flock included 13,000 birds.
APHIS also gave an update on an earlier reported case of HPAI in Stanislaus County involving a commercial meat turkey flock. While the presence of HPAI was confirmed on December 4 in two commercial meat turkey flocks and one commercial layer flock, the number of birds in those affected premises was not initially disclosed. APHIS has since stated that one of those flocks included 23,100 turkeys, but the size of the other affected turkey flock or the layer flock in Stanislaus County remains to be disclosed.
With the latest detections, California has now had 30 commercial poultry flocks struck by HPAI in 2024.
View our continuing coverage of the global avian influenza situation.
To learn more about HPAI cases in commercial poultry flocks in the United States, Mexico and Canada, see an interactive map on WATTPoultry.com.
