Number of chickens and turkeys in the US The near-record death from this year’s bird flu epidemic. This is because a different form of the virus that farmers have been fighting has infected more wild birds that can carry the disease. officials said
More than 47 million birds have died from infection and culling. This has prompted an export ban. Reduced egg and turkey production and contributed to record key raw material prices ahead of the US holiday season.(Bird flu kills nearly unprecedented birds in the United States)The outbreak exacerbates economic pain for consumers who are facing skyrocketing inflation.
In 2015, 50.5 million birds died in the deadliest outbreak in the United States. This is the country’s worst animal health event to date.
Farmers are fighting the H5N1 subtype virus that survived the summer. When higher temperatures generally reduce avian influenza, Rosemary Sifford, chief veterinarian of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), said.
She said in an interview that the same subspecies, known as the goose/Cantonese, are also known as geese. is spreading in Europe Europe is experiencing its worst bird flu crisis. Nearly 50 million birds were culled.
Officials are searching for more subspecies in a variety of wild birds, such as ducks, than in the past. And it seems to have lived longer in birds. Sifford said The rising threat for infection could persist until the summer of 2023 as they migrate, she said.
The United States is tracking wild birds for bird flu in four migratory routes known as flight routes. increased from the previous two routes. and plans to do the same next year.
“This virus may be present in wild birds in the near future,” Sifford said. “This one is different.”
The outbreak has infected sheep herds in 42 states since February. Doubled in 2015, USDA records show infections slowed this summer. But it doesn’t stop like in 2015.
Viral tenacity has surprised some manufacturers. which has increased cleaning and safety in the barns since the 2015 outbreak.
“Unfortunately, what we’ve done may not be enough to protect us from the high number of viruses in the wild bird population,” Sifford said.
Turkey price record
Minnesota, the country’s top turkey-producing state, suffered infections in two commercial herds in late August. After three months with no infections, USDA data showed, then the state saw more cases in September.
Ashley Kohls, Executive Director of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association, said: “The August increase was not what we expected.
after infection It will take about six months to sterilize farms and resume turkey production, Kohls said.
Minnesota-based Hormel Foods Corp (HO.N) Brand owner Jennie-O Turkey Store said avian flu is expected to reduce turkey production at least through March 2023.
“We work very hard. But clearly this is still a problem,” Hormel CEO James Snee said on a conference call last month.
Retail prices for fresh boneless turkey breast hit a record $6.70 a pound last month, up 112 percent from the previous year and 14 percent above the previous record in 2015, the American Farm Bureau said.
Meat production in Turkey this year is expected to drop 6 percent from 2021 to 5.2 billion pounds, according to USDA data.
farmers in the usa which faces high food and labor costs It has cut production ahead of the outbreak due to lower profits. USDA data showed cold storage turkey breast stocks hit a record low this year.
Greg Gunthorp, a turkey farmer in Indiana, said the grocer. online retailer and other buyers have called for a search for a whole turkey and breast. Antibiotic-free turkey breasts sell for $7-$9 per pound wholesale. That compares to about $3 before the COVID-19 outbreak, he said.
“The turkey market is the craziest I’ve ever seen,” said Gunthorpe.
Herd infections have spurred restrictions on US poultry exports. This caused damage to the manufacturer again. China, which is a major buyer. It has blocked poultry from all states that have been confirmed to be infected. And it took longer than it should be to lift the ban. The United States Poultry and Egg Export Council.
China this month suspended imports of Arkansas poultry. which is the third largest producer of chicken raised for meat consumption. After the state reported its first infection of the year, USDA records show, state agriculture secretary Wes Ward said he hoped Arkansas could avoid the disease.
“The virus has changed,” Ward said. “Hopefully it will be one of them that the virus will burn itself after a year. and may calm down again.”
