Michigan loses greater than 2 million extra hens to avian flu


Every other business desk egg operation in Ionia County, Michigan, was once struck via extremely pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), the United States Division of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Well being Inspection Carrier (APHIS) reported.

In line with APHIS, the presence of the H5N1 virus was once showed at the premises on April 9, and a pair of,147,500 birds had been affected.

This situation follows an previous example the place an Ionia County egg operation was once struck via HPAI. If so, which was once showed on April 3, 1,928,500 birds had been affected, bringing the state’s general HPAI losses in 2024 past 4 million hens.

Prior to those detections, the ultimate time HPAI have been showed in a business poultry flock in Michigan was once December 2023, when two business meat turkey flocks in Muskegon County had been inflamed.

Those circumstances function a reminder for sturdy biosecurity practices, stated Dr. Tim Dull, director of the Michigan Division of Agriculture and Rural Building (MDARD).

“It is a virus that may simply be moved unknowingly on the whole lot from farm apparatus to footwear to supply or provider cars and the checklist is going on, ” stated Dull. “Our farmers and people who ship products and services to farm operations should act now to intensify and tighten biosecurity measures to comprise the unfold of HPAI in Michigan. As wild birds proceed their spring migration, it is going to take a staff effort to offer protection to the well being of our home animals.”

H5N1 additionally affecting Michigan dairy farm animals

MDARD reported that no longer most effective are laying hens being affected via H5N1, but in addition dairy farm animals.

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The presence of the virus was once first showed in Michigan dairies on March 29, and on April 11, 3 extra sure detections had been showed.

4 counties, together with the county the place H5N1 was once showed in laying flocks, have had H5N1 infections in farm animals. The ones are: Ionia, Isabella, Ottawa and Montcalm.

To be informed extra about HPAI circumstances in business poultry flocks in america, Mexico and Canada, see an interactive map on WATTPoultry.com. 

View our proceeding protection of the international avian influenza scenario

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