Avian influenza found in South Carolina

[Folly's place]

Very sad, and concerning for all of us this spring. Will our chickens go outside anytime soon? Blast!
Mary

 

[NanaK]

CAL-MAINE FOOD’S TEXAS POULTRY FACILITY TESTS POSITIVE FOR HPAI (4/2/2024)​

AUSTIN – Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller confirmed the Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. poultry facility in Farwell, Texas has received official notice of a positive test for H5N1. Due to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidance for poultry infections, Cal-Maine will be required to depopulate 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets at their Farwell facility.

https://www.texasagriculture.gov/Ne...AINE-FOOD-S-TEXAS-POULTRY-FACILITY-TESTS-POSI

 

[TooCheep]

Cal-Maine will be required to depopulate 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets

2 million birds at a single facility?

Centralization of production is a huge problem. More distributed systems are more resilient to disruptions.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

CAL-MAINE FOOD’S TEXAS POULTRY FACILITY TESTS POSITIVE FOR HPAI (4/2/2024)​

AUSTIN – Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller confirmed the Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. poultry facility in Farwell, Texas has received official notice of a positive test for H5N1. Due to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidance for poultry infections, Cal-Maine will be required to depopulate 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets at their Farwell facility.

https://www.texasagriculture.gov/Ne...AINE-FOOD-S-TEXAS-POULTRY-FACILITY-TESTS-POSI

Well. Crap.

 

[SourRoses]

So from an overall standpoint, with these recent cases, does it look like it's going to be another bad year?

 

[NagemTX]

Adding a post to make sure I get updates for this.

 

[TooCheep]

Adding a post to make sure I get updates for this.

Hello @NagemTX.
FYI- Just above the list of posts on this page, you'll find a list of options including one to "Watch" this thread. That will allow you to get notifications when there are updates.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

So from an overall standpoint, with these recent cases, does it look like it's going to be another bad year?

I'm not an Epidemiologist, but it doesn't look to be a good year. Will know more once they start identifying strains. If its the American strains, our birds have at least some familiarity/resistance in general. But if its an EU strain which has remained in the US/Canadian wilds, then yes - that was responsible for the worse than typical outbreak we've seen these past years. Our birds are not as good at resisting it, their antibodies aren't as effective in recognizing it, so it spreads more effectively.

 

[Sally PB]

I won't lie. I'm a bit nervous. One of Herbruck's facilities has caught fire -- twice -- so I don't know how serious they are about safety at their facilities. They are one of, if not the, biggest egg producers in Michigan.

This spring/summer will be... interesting... to say the least, I think.

 

[NanaK]

I won't lie. I'm a bit nervous. One of Herbruck's facilities has caught fire -- twice -- so I don't know how serious they are about safety at their facilities. They are one of, if not the, biggest egg producers in Michigan.

This spring/summer will be... interesting... to say the least, I think.

Prayers for you and your flock.