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More than 100,000 birds impacted by HPAI in March as wild bird migration season picks up in Indiana

Twenty-one new cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza have been confirmed in commercial poultry facilities across the state since the beginning of March.

Denise Derrer Spears with the Indiana State Board of Animal Health says the wild bird migration season is in full swing.

“We have seen a lot of high winds in the last few days and that makes it very hard to control the movement of the virus,” she says. “Once it’s out in that environment, it can easily be picked up and blown. You have to get fresh air to those birds and that’s an easy opportunity to pull that virus into the barn.”

BOAH says the latest cases of the virus were found on a commercial egg layer facility in LaGrange County and on a commercial meat duck operation in Elkhart County. More than  33,000 birds have been depopulated.

She tells Brownfield the department continues to work with producers to help prevent the spread of the virus.

“We have been working with staff that’s working on the farm and with family members to help with biosecurity audits and working to get rid of the virus if it has been there, so they don’t have any new infection problems,” she says.

Indiana is a leading producer of poultry, eggs, and poultry products. It ranks first in duck production, third in eggs, third in commercial turkey production, and produces a significant number of broilers.

Avian influenza does not present a food safety risk.

BOAH also reminds dairy producers to be vigilant in their surveillance. According to rules established by the USDA, lactating dairy cattle must have a negative test before interstate movement.  The department has also expanded surveillance through testing milk at the farm or processor level to establish the health status of herds, as well as states.

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AUDIO: Denise Derrer Spears, Indiana State Board of Animal Health