Wisconsin – Jefferson County’s second commercial egg facility and the turkey flock at the Chippewa County reported an outbreak of avian flu with nearly one out of every five chickens suspected to be infected.
The Jefferson County is known as one of the largest chicken farms in the state, and this is the second time the outbreak has been reported in the farm following the outbreak on April 12.
According to the Wisconsin Agriculture, Consumer and Trade Protection Department the flock of 87000 turkeys in the Chippewa County and the Jefferson County’s flock of 800,000 birds are the fourth and fifth cases identified with bird flu.
The department has said that the birds that have not died until now will have to be euthanized. According to the DATCP, Wisconsin has a population of 5.4 million egg laying chickens. The outbreak at the Jefferson County the second time has affected nearly a million of the overall population. The Hormel Foods Corporation Jennie-O- Turkey store division, owns the Chippewa County facility.
Avian Bird Flu is highly contagious
The state animal health officials have notified the neighboring poultry facilities about the outbreak and are taking the initiative to quarantine the affected chickens. DATCP spokeswoman, Raechelle Cline has said that the avian influenza virus is a highly contagious strain of H5N5. The proper testing process will have to be carried out to confirm about the strain, and immediate quarantine efforts are needed.
Unstoppable Spread of Bird Flue
In a statement, Daybreak Foods Incorporation’s President, William Rehm has said that the virus of bird flu is unstoppable as it is being carried and spread by the wind. Some of the USDA veterinarians are of the opinion that the virus is being dispersed by the air particulates.
The presence of bird flu was first detected in the state of Wisconsin at Jefferson County’s commercial chicken flock followed by detection of similar infection among the birds of Juneau and Barron County.
