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Minnesota Turkey Growers monitoring avian flu in Indiana

steve-olson

The executive director of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association says the industry is paying close attention to the recent avian flu outbreak in Indiana.

Steve Olson tells Brownfield that while new cases of infected flocks were somewhat expected, he was surprised to learn of a different strain.

“This (strain) is specific to North America.  Indiana reacted very quickly and the last couple weeks it has been quiet, and we hope it stays quiet.”

Minnesota was one of the states hardest hit by the H5N2 strain in 2015, with 108 total cases from early March to mid-June.

After several months with no confirmed cases of avian flu in commercial turkey flocks anywhere in the U.S., more than 400,000 birds were affected by the H7N8 strain in Indiana last month.

Olson says migratory birds intermingle in Mexico before returning north as temperatures warm, and there is a chance the new virus could’ve been transmitted.

He encourages producers to adhere to strict biosecurity protocols, using lessons learned from last year’s outbreak.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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