Alabama agriculture officials said they are investigating three possible cases of avian flu found in chickens in North Alabama.
Testing conducted indicated positive cases in Lauderdale County, northern Madison County and Scottsboro, officials said Tuesday morning.
An "industry-type premises" in Lauderdale County, a backyard chicken flock in Madison County and chicken found at a Scottsboro flea market all tested positive for the flu, state agriculture commissioner John McMillan said in a news conference. McMillan said they had been preparing for possible cases to show up in the state.
The agriculture department has been preparing for flu to pop up since cases were confirmed in Lincoln and Giles counties in Tennessee.
"Really what we've done is plan our work, and now we're working our plan," McMillan said.
That plan includes heavily testing chickens everywhere from manufacturing facilities to backyard flocks and flea markets, McMillan said.
The source of the flu is feces from wild waterfowl, officials said. Officials did say the cases did not present a food safety issue.
Officials say the U.S. Department of Agriculture will confirm their tests.
http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2017/03/bird_flu_found_in_poultry_in_n.html
here is the link
Testing conducted indicated positive cases in Lauderdale County, northern Madison County and Scottsboro, officials said Tuesday morning.
An "industry-type premises" in Lauderdale County, a backyard chicken flock in Madison County and chicken found at a Scottsboro flea market all tested positive for the flu, state agriculture commissioner John McMillan said in a news conference. McMillan said they had been preparing for possible cases to show up in the state.
The agriculture department has been preparing for flu to pop up since cases were confirmed in Lincoln and Giles counties in Tennessee.
"Really what we've done is plan our work, and now we're working our plan," McMillan said.
That plan includes heavily testing chickens everywhere from manufacturing facilities to backyard flocks and flea markets, McMillan said.
The source of the flu is feces from wild waterfowl, officials said. Officials did say the cases did not present a food safety issue.
Officials say the U.S. Department of Agriculture will confirm their tests.
http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2017/03/bird_flu_found_in_poultry_in_n.html
here is the link
