An outbreak of highly pathogenic Avian Influenza diagnosed in a flock of pheasants in Erath County, located in central Texas had export implications far beyond the value or purpose of the affected enterprise. At this time, exports of all poultry including eggs, turkey and broiler meat from Texas will be banned by China, Taiwan and Cuba among other importers. Poultry exports from and through Texas to Mexico were disrupted for a day until resolved by negotiations with the veterinary authority in Mexico (SENASICA) to confine the ban to Erath County approximately 70 miles southwest of Fort Worth.
It is presumed that the affected flock was either allowed outside access or was housed in an exterior flight pen and exposed to two possible exposures from wild birds or alternatively, introduction of virus through suboptimal structural or operational biosecurity.