Animal health officials have detected bird flu in a turkey flock in Redwood County, the first new confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Minnesota poultry since April.
The state Board of Animal Health said the flock of about 20,000 turkey toms experienced an unusually high number of deaths. Lab tests confirmed they had influenza A and the H5 strain of bird flu. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s national lab in Ames, Iowa, confirmed the results.
The new case is not entirely surprising as wild waterfowl begin their fall migration, said Dr. Shauna Voss, assistant director of the Board of Animal Health.
“Vigilance and robust biosecurity remain the best methods for flock owners to protect poultry from avian influenza,” Voss said.
Animal health officials and the poultry industry had been working to eliminate the virus from quarantined farms over the summer. The state was declared free of the disease in late August.
Health officials say poultry and eggs remain safe to eat when properly cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Poultry producers and backyard flock owners should contact their veterinarian immediately if they see symptoms of the disease, including swelling or purple discoloration, animals eating or drinking less, decreased egg production, extreme depression or difficulty breathing.
Earlier this month, after four straight months of raw milk testing in Minnesota’s dairy farms, the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared the state’s dairy herds “unaffected” by the virus.
