Bird flu found on another German poultry farm

Reuters
Thu, December 14, 2023 

Illustration shows test tube labelled "Bird Flu", eggs and Germany flag

HAMBURG (Reuters) - About 30,000 ducks have been slaughtered after an outbreak of bird flu on a farm in west Germany, authorities said on Thursday.

The disease was confirmed on a farm in the Guetersloh area, the North Rhine Westphalia state agriculture ministry said.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, has led to the culling of hundreds of millions birds in the past years. The disease usually strikes in Europe during autumn and winter with infection often spread by wild birds.


It has recently been detected on farms in countries including France, Poland, the Netherlands and Belgium. Several other cases in Germany have also been reported in recent weeks.

France ordered that a third dose of a vaccine against bird flu be given to ducks in areas most at risk, citing "new scientific evidence" as it aims to avoid a surge in outbreaks.

France also raised the risk level for bird flu to 'high' from 'moderate' after new cases of the disease were detected, forcing poultry farms to keep birds indoors to stem the spread of the highly contagious virus.

(Reporting by Michael Hogan, editing by Kirsten Donovan)

Are $5 Eggs on the Horizon After Another Bird Flu Outbreak?

Dawn Allcot
Fri, December 15, 2023 

Natalia Rusanova / iStock.com

If you’re planning a Christmas morning brunch with quiche or frittata or deviled eggs on your Christmas Eve appetizer menu, you may want to plan ahead and allocate some more cash in your budget for eggs.

The top egg producer in the U.S., Cal-Maine Foods, temporarily ceased production at its Kansas facility because of the company’s first-ever outbreak of Avian influenza, commonly referred to as bird flu. The spike in egg prices we could see before the end of the year might make you want to hit the eggnog.

The company, based in Mississippi, had dodged the virus in 2022, when more than 72 million birds in the U.S. were killed to slow the outbreak, Bloomberg News reported. At that time, eggs in the Midwest hit $5.35 per dozen. Prices have fallen 69% since then, and are currently at $2.06 (wholesale price) per dozen for regionally laid whole eggs, according to USA Today. That’s close to the three-year average, USA Today reported.

The recent outbreak affected roughly 684,000 laying hens, nearly 1.6% of the total flock, according to a Reuters release. However, there is some good news; Cal-Maine said the outbreak isn’t an immediate public health concern or a threat to the food supply, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

However, USDA reports also showed an increase in cases in the last 30 days, with 92 flocks confirmed having HPAI (Highly Pathogenic influenza A infections) across 22 states. Currently, 1,012 flocks are affected across 47 states.

Kevin Bergquist, Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute Sector Manager, told USA Today in a written statement that the virus is spreading at a similar pace to last year’s outbreak, which was very serious.

Berquist also discussed the potential ramifications of the virus continuing to spread. “Seemingly every day there is another announced infection site, which not only physically reduces the actual number of egg layers, but also casts a negative psychology over the entire egg market,” he wrote to USA Today. “The reaction to supply stress is price increase.”

Seasonal fluctuations, of course, account for some of the price increase. Some experts believe U.S. producers have enough inventory to deal with the losses caused by Avian flu.

“Prices are going to go up, of course, because of seasonal demand, and this will start restricting inventory some. But we’ve got a lot of eggs on hand right now,” Dennis Brothers, associate extension professor at Auburn University’s agricultural economics and rural sociology department, told USA Today.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com

Jimmy's Farm: Call to vaccinate poultry after 2022 bird losses

Nic Rigby - BBC Politics East
Fri, December 15, 2023 

TV presenter and farmer Jimmy Doherty has called for a vaccination programme against bird flu for British poultry or a proper compensation scheme.

Mr Doherty made the call at a recording of BBC Politics East at Jimmy's Farm and Wildlife Park, near Ipswich.

The view was backed by Paul Kelly, of Essex turkey producer KellyBronze, who said: "If you vaccinate, you eliminate the risk."

The government said it was investing in the development of vaccines.

The farm is run by TV presenter Jimmy Doherty

Mr Doherty, who runs the 24-acre farm and attraction at Wherstead, near Ipswich, said he understands that poultry vaccination plans are being delayed by international trade deals, but is concerned about the possibility of another bird flu outbreak.

In 2022 the H5N1 virus, which was first reported in China in 1996. severely damaged the poultry industry.

Farmers are calling for the birds to be vaccinated

About 3.2 million birds were culled in the UK and 45 million across the EU.

Mr Doherty told BBC Politics East: "We don't want to miss out on any trade deals. At the same time we don't want to see farmers' livelihoods disappear. That's why the issue is important.

"We've been through Covid, we've vaccinated ourselves. It makes sense. If we don't have vaccination we need a proper compensation for losses."

Paul Kelly, who heads up KellyBronze - an Essex turkey producer - said vaccinating the birds was vital

Mr Kelly said: "If we get birds vaccinated, you eliminate the risk. The vaccines have been developed. We are sorting trade issues out with our trading partners."

He said that vaccination plans had been delayed partly because the flu has not hit birds in 2023 yet, which may be due to wild birds developing some immunity or other unknown reasons.

Mark Gorton, who runs Traditional Norfolk Poultry, said: "The vaccine is the only way we can be sure we can protect our birds. This the only thing we can do and the sooner we can get on with vaccinating our birds the safer they'll be."

Jimmy's Farm was originally set up in 2002 to try to preserve the Essex pig breed, but has since expanded to feature 100 species including wallabies, tapir and lemur.

Mr Doherty came to prominence with the show Jimmy's Farm, when the BBC followed his efforts in setting up the farm, just off the A14.

The friend of TV chef Jamie Oliver is also known for presenting shows including Jimmy's Food Factory and co-hosting Channel 4's Jamie & Jimmy's Friday Night Feast - a cooking show based at Southend Pier.

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A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "We know the devastating impact bird flu has had on farmers and poultry producers, which is why we have altered the compensation process to support farmers from the outset of planned culling whilst also investing in research and the development of vaccines aimed at tackling this virus.

"More widely, we remain committed to ensuring that British farmers become more productive, profitable and sustainable.

"As well as providing £600m in grants for equipment and innovation, we are allocating 45,000 seasonal workers this year and next to ensure growers have the workforce they need to put fresh produce on our tables."