Bird flu forces facility to kill 1.9M hens
A poultry company was required to kill more than a million hens Tuesday after a positive test for bird flu at its facility in Farwell.
Mississippi-based CalMaine Foods Inc. detected a highly pathogenic avian influenza in the Farwell facility. As a result, the company was ordered to destroy 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, or young hens — about 3.6% of its total flock, according to a news release from the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Production at the facility stopped temporarily to begin carrying out U.S. Department of Agriculture protocols, agency officials said.
“The company remains dedicated to robust biosecurity programs across its locations,” a Cal-Maine Foods statement said. “However, no farm is immune from HPAI. HPAI is still present in the wild bird population and the extent of possible future outbreaks with heightened risk during the migration seasons, cannot be predicted.”
There was “no known risk related to HPAI associated with eggs that are currently in the market” nor recalls for eggs, according to the company.
“The company continues to work closely with federal, state and local government officials and focused industry groups to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks and effectively manage the response,” its statement said.
Cal-Maine Foods is one of the largest producers and distributors of fresh shell eggs in the nation, according to the company’s website. The Farwell facility is in Texas’ Panhandle region, more than 600 miles from Houston.
“This is absolutely devastating news for Cal-Maine and the entire Panhandle region which has already suffered so much already,” Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said in a statement. “Given this latest development, all producers must practice heightened biosecurity measures. The rapid spread of this virus means we must act quickly.”
This announcement comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed a positive test of H5N1 — an influenza virus that causes a highly infectious, severe respiratory disease in birds called bird flu, per the World Health Organization — in a Texas dairy worker who was in contact with cattle suspected of being infected, according to the news release.
When affected by the disease, cattle will show symptoms including a fever and thick and discolored milk. The Texas Department of Agriculture reports there’s a reduction in milk production averaging between 10 to 30 pounds per infected cow.
Chickens or other poultry may show mild respiratory signs such as nasal discharge or sneezing, eating less, ruffled feathers and low egg production.
As of Tuesday, the USDA reported five new H5N1 cases in dairy facilities. In total, there were seven in Texas, two in Kansas, one in Michigan and one in New Mexico.
Despite the new cases found, Miller said in a statement the current risk to the public remains minimal. However, the CDC is warning that people with close or prolonged exposures to H5N1 are at a higher risk of infection.
“It is important for us as an industry to maintain a high level of vigilance. State and national agencies will continue to provide updated guidance as developments warrant,” he said.
Farmers will need to notify their veterinarians if they suspect any animals of having symptoms of bird flu.