Seasonal Return of Avian Influenza
As anticipated, avian influenza has returned to commercial turkeys and has impacted the first egg production complex of the fall season. Effective September 25th, there were twelve outbreaks in the Dakotas and Minnesota involving close to 550,000 growing turkeys and one large egg production complex of 3.1 million hens in Wisconsin. Concurrently, USDA surveys have detected H5 avian influenza virus with a Eurasian genome in twelve states over the past thirty days. Of specific concern is the frequency of isolations from black vultures that now appear to be disseminators of the pathogen in addition to migratory waterfowl.
Although high levels of structural and operational biosecurity are advised, even the most stringent precautions will not provide absolute protection. Had the U.S. commenced preemptive vaccination of replacement pullets during the first quarter of 2025 during the period of winter losses we would have been in a more favorable position as we enter the fourth quarter of the year with the potential for losses.