The highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu, which is spreading rapidly across Canada, has been detected in 18 poultry farms in Alberta since the province’s first case in Mountain View County was confirmed on April 6. Cases were spotted in two small herds and 16 commercial flocks in Alberta, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said on Tuesday. As of April 21, 12 swarms of Alberta had active cases, corresponding to approximately 340,000 infected birds – most in any province.

“Incredibly stressful”

As cases continue to multiply, poultry breeders are preparing for losses and doing everything they can to keep the infection away from their barns. “It’s an incredibly stressful time,” said David Hink, a poultry farmer who runs a chicken farm near Lacombe, Alta, 125 miles south of Edmonton. “We are very careful.” Haink inspects his four barns daily for signs of illness among his 135,000 chickens. Most forms of bird flu are mild, but the H5N1 strain can cause serious illness and death in wild and domestic birds. The disease is not considered a major concern for humans, but infections can wipe out a herd within a few days. Without treatment, an entire swarm must be killed to ensure that the infection is reduced. “It’s a very dangerous bird disease,” said Haink, who also serves as chairman of Alberta Chicken Producers, the organization that regulates the province’s meat production. “Once it enters the herd, it will spread quickly. It will cause high mortality in barns. “In some cases, birds worth hundreds of thousands of dollars will have to be destroyed.” The CFIA says 2022 was unprecedented for the spread of bird flu worldwide. Migratory birds are believed to be responsible for a number of outbreaks across Canada. As wild birds continue to fly north for the summer, more cases are expected. Outbreaks have also been reported in poultry farms in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. No human cases have been reported in North America. Canadian Food Inspection Service Investigates Avian Influenza Outbreaks in Dozens of Poultry Farms Across Canada (Submitted by David Hyink)
The CFIA has found no evidence of transmission from farm to farm, but more research is needed, said Jeff Notenbomer, who owns Willow Creek Poultry, a chicken farm in Monarch, Alta, near Lethbridge. He is also the president of Alberta Hatching Egg Producers, which regulates the production of hatchery in the province. Notenbomer said he hoped biosafety protocols and the distance between most of Alberta’s farms would provide a safety net against infection. “We are seeing it spread much faster than we expected,” he said. “It makes us very nervous. How does it spread? How does it bounce from barn to barn?” Notenbomer compares the increase in avian influenza cases with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, when outbreaks increased, protocols were strictly enforced and the source of transmission was unclear. “I think we have to see two weeks without a positive [case] before I take a deep breath. ” The Canadian Food and Drug Administration says migratory wild birds are likely to be responsible for the spread of the flu. (Lindsey Bauman / the Hutchinson News via the Associated Press)
Operators are eligible for compensation for killed birds based on market value. But the formula does not take into account the downtime faced by farmers after an outbreak, Notenbomer said. The Notenbomer farm has about 25,000 chickens and produces about 3.5 million fertilized eggs each year. Incubators like his will take up to two years to reach full production again, he said. The outbreaks have led to supply chain issues, import cuts and rising prices elsewhere, but it is unclear whether current outbreaks will affect Canadian consumers. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says many factors are driving up food prices, so it is difficult to find a direct link between the virus and the cost of eggs and poultry. Notenbomer said Canadian industry needs to be better equipped to absorb the shock of any disruption due to the support provided by the country’s supply chain management system. “When a farm collapses, everything is in place to make the necessary adjustments to keep going, but the more cases there are, the harder it gets,” he said. “The supply is stable, but I’m nervous because it seems to be spreading.” Avian flu is a reported disease in Canada. Federal inspectors are responding to outbreaks, establishing quarantines and ordering the destruction of all birds that may have been exposed. Teryn Girard, a poultry veterinarian who works with Prairie Swine Health Services and Cargill, has worked with most of Alberta’s farming cases. Spring is a bird flu season and the industry was prepared, but this virus behaves differently, he said. Farmers wonder who might be hit next. This virus does not read the textbook.- Teryn Girard
“There have been many more reports of dead migratory birds,” he said. “It just showed us that this virus does not read the textbook.” Nicole Thiessen, owner of Button Quail and Poultry on Rochfort Bridge in Alta, sold most of her birds last month. It had more than 3,000 quails and 80 laying hens, but now there are only 20 birds. “We had a lot of crows visiting our farm in the winter and we saw their numbers dwindle,” Thiessen said. “That was the first, huge concern.” Thiessen said she was relieved to have reduced its staff before the incidents began. “I do not think you could sell a bird to save your life right now.”

Poultry farmers are trying to prevent the spread of bird flu

Canadian poultry farmers are trying to prevent the further spread of bird flu, which has already caused the loss of half a million birds this year, which could further increase the price of chicken and turkey. 1:47