News

HPAI cases picking up steam in Iowa

Iowa’s ag secretary says his agency is closely monitoring some recent outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry flocks.

Mike Naig says there have been three cases in the state since last Thursday, with the most recent detection on Monday. “We got two egg laying facilities, one turkey facility. We’ve got Sioux County in Palo Alto County being the locations of those. We had been watching states in the region start to combat new cases.”

He tells Brownfield migrating wild birds have been carrying a new strain of the virus. “The only maybe good news, it is only affecting poultry. It is not currently affecting dairy.”

Naig says any infected flock gets depopulated. “It’s also a measure to try to prevent the spread of that virus to other sites. The birds that have to be disposed of, the buildings have to be cleaned and disinfected, and then after a certain number of weeks, the producer can begin to restock with birds.”

According to Iowa Department of Agriculture, Monday’s detection occurred in a commercial layer flock in Sioux County. It’s the state’s sixth case of HPAI within poultry this year.

INTERVIEW: Iowa Ag Secretary Mike Naig 12-9-2024