Avian flu: Egg production slowed in the US due to avian flu outbreak

The largest producer of fresh eggs in USA reported yesterday that it has temporarily halted production at a Texas plant after it was found avian flu in chickensand officials said the virus had also been detected at a poultry facility in Michigan.

Cal-Maine Foods, Inc.based in Ridgeland, Mississippisaid in a statement that 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, 3.6% of its total flock, were euthanized after the infection was found at a facility in Parmer, Texas County.

Cal-Maine said it sells most of its eggs in the Southwest, Southeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.

“The Company continues to work closely with federal, state and local government officials and focused industry groups to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks and effectively manage the response,” the statement said.

“Cal-Maine Foods is working to secure production from other facilities to minimize disruption to its customers.”

The company added that there is no known risk of bird flu associated with eggs currently on the market that have not been recalled.

Eggs that are handled and cooked properly are safe to eat, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

Avian flu detected in a human

Cal-Maine’s announcement comes a day after state health officials said a person had been diagnosed with bird flu after coming into contact with cows presumed to be infected, and the risk to the public remains. being low.

The human case in Texas marks the first known case in the world of a person contracting this version of bird flu from a mammal, federal health officials said.

In Michigan, the State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory detected avian flu at a commercial poultry facility in Ionia County, according to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The county is 161 km northwest of Detroit.

The department noted that it received confirmation of the disease the day before yesterday from the laboratory and that it is the fourth time since 2022 that the disease has been detected in a commercial facility in Michigan.

Department spokeswoman Jennifer Holton said yesterday that state law prohibits the department from disclosing the type of poultry at the facility.

The facility has been quarantined and the department does not anticipate any disruption to supply chains in the state, Holton said.

Dairy cows in Texas and Kansas were reported last week infected with bird flu, and federal agriculture officials later confirmed infections in a Michigan dairy herd that had recently received cows from Texas.

A dairy herd in Idaho was added to the list after federal agriculture officials confirmed detection of bird flu in them, according to a Tuesday news release from the USDA.