Half a Million Chickens to Be Destroyed in Bird Flu Outbreak

March 23, 2022

A business hen farm in Nebraska will destroy 570,000 broilers as a result of a case of extremely pathogenic avian influenza – higher often known as chook flu – was found within the flock, the Nebraska Department of Agriculture reported.

Earlier this month, chook flu was found in a yard flock in Merrick County and in wild geese in Lincoln and Cedar and Douglas counties, the division mentioned in a information launch. The Lincoln wild goose case was the primary occasion of chook flu within the state since 2015.

“Having a second farm in Nebraska confirmed to have HPAI is unfortunate, but not completely unexpected,” NDA Director Steve Wellman mentioned within the launch. “NDA will use all the resources at our disposal, in coordination with our federal partners to manage a quick response.”

The Department of Agriculture put the business farm in Butler County underneath quarantine after noting a bigger than regular variety of deaths. The division established a 6.2-mile management zone across the farm, that means poultry throughout the zone can’t be moved with out state permission. 

The birds “will be humanely depopulated and disposed of in an approved manner,” the division mentioned.

“Symptoms of HPAI in poultry include: a decrease in water consumption; lack of energy and appetite; decreased egg production or soft-shelled, misshapen eggs; nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing; incoordination; and diarrhea. HPAI can also cause sudden death in birds even if they aren’t showing any other symptoms. HPAI can survive for weeks in contaminated environments,” the Department of Agriculture mentioned. 

The Associated Press mentioned greater than 13 million chickens and turkeys in a minimum of eight states have been destroyed or can be quickly due to chook flu. The first case this yr was present in a business turkey flock in Indiana.