Livestock Poultry HPAI losses cross 5 million in May, USDA says The USDA has reported 8 additional cases of avian influenza in the past 30 days covering 4 states. By Noah Rohlfing Noah Rohlfing Noah Rohlfing is a Digital Content Editor at Successful Farming and Agriculture.com, having joined the company in 2023 after working for three years as a sports reporter for the Marshalltown Times-Republican. As a newcomer to the world of agriculture, he is focused on learning as much as he can about the field and how the digital world can help inform farmers. Successful Farming's Editorial Guidelines and Successful Farming Staff Successful Farming Staff The content on Agriculture.com is by created by trained journalists who have become subject-matter experts in their fields. You may see some content using the byline "Successful Farming Staff." The content is primarily from information or a press release provided by other entities – such as the USDA, a university, or agricultural company. The press release has been vetted and reviewed by a staff editor. The content is edited and changed to reflect the voice and style of Successful Farming. Successful Farming's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 28, 2024 Close Photo: Mitch Kezar This story will be continually updated as new commercial and backyard cases are reported to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The Latest To date, more than 95 million reported birds have been affected by HPAI since Feb. 2022. Cases have slowed down significantly since the turn of the calendar to 2024. The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) have reported eight new cases of Highly-Pathological Avian Influenza (HPAI) over four different states in the past 30 days. The states with affected counties since October 2023 are: Alaska Matanuska Susitna County — 40 WOAH (World Organization of Animal Health) non-poultry birds Alabama Chilton County — 296,500 commercial upland gamebird producer birdsMarshall County — 47,900 commercial broiler breeder pullets Arkansas Carroll County — 81,200 commercial broiler production birds; 33,300 commercial turkey meat birdsJohnson County — 109,000 commercial broiler production birdsMadison County — 31,600 commercial broiler breeder pullets California Fresno County — 23,400 commercial duck breeder birdsMerced County — 764,300 commercial table egg layer birds; 534,800 commercial broiler production birds; 285,600 commercial table egg pullet; 30 WOAH non-poultry birdsSacramento County — 30 WOAH non-poultry birdsSan Benito County — 5,000 commercial duck breeder birdsSonoma County — 270,000 commercial table egg layer birds; 82,500 commercial table egg layer birds; 6,000 commercial duck meat birds; 77,900 commercial broiler production birdsStanislaus County — 254,400 commercial broiler operation birds; 239,900 commercial broiler operation birds Colorado Arapahoe County — 20 WOAH non-poultry birdsBent County — 4,100 WOAH poultry birdsMontrose County — 50 WOAH non-poultry birdsWeld County — 30 WOAH non-poultry birds Florida Broward County — 5 WOAH non-poultry birdsDuval County — 50 WOAH non-poultry birds Georgia Sumter County — 30,000 WOAH poultry birds Idaho Bonneville County — 50 WOAH non-poultry birdsCanyon County — 70 WOAH non-poultry birds Indiana Daviess County — 3,100 commercial turkey meat birds Iowa Benton County — 50 WOAH non-poultry birdsBuena Vista County — 50,000 commercial turkey meat birds; 30,000 commercial turkey meat birdsCerro Gardo County — 80 backyard mixed speciesClay County — 7,700 game bird ducks; 9,000 game bird ducks and backyard mixed speciesHamilton County — 15,000 commercial breeding chickensJones County — 20 backyard mixed speciesKossuth County — 8,000 game bird pheasants, peafowl and commercial layer chickens; 13,000 game bird pheasants, quail, and chukarsMills County — undefined backyard mixed bird flocksPocahontas County — 47,500 commercial turkey meat birdsSioux County — 1.6 million commercial layer chickens; 4.2 million commercial layer chickensTaylor County — 1.1 million commercial layer chickensWoodbury County — 50 WOAH non-poultry birds Iowa’s bird flu death toll this fall has surpassed last year Kansas Mitchell County — 32,000 commercial upland gamebird producer birds; 5,800 commercial upland gamebird producer birds; 3,700 commercial upland gamebird producer birds; 220 WOAH non-poultry birdsPottawatamie County — 30 WOAH non-poultry birdsRice County — 240,000 commercial table egg pulletsShawnee County — 70 WOAH non-poultry birds Maine Kennebec County — 40 WOAH non-poultry birdsYork County — 60 WOAH non-poultry birds Maryland Caroline County — 193,000 commercial broiler production birds Massachusetts Barnstable County — 150 WOAH non-poultry birds Michigan Ionia County — 2,422,700 commercial table egg layer birds; 2,147,500 commercial table egg layer birds; 1,928,500 commercial table egg layer birdsNewaygo County — 67,200 commercial turkey meat birdsOttawa County — 104,000 commercial turkey meat birds Minnesota Becker County — 20,400 commercial breeder operation and commercial turkey breeder toms; 18,900 commercial breeder operation birdsBlue Earth County — 12,300 commercial turkey meat birdsFreeborn County — 8 WOAH non-poultryKandiyohi County — 7,200 commercial turkey breeder hensMeeker County — 186,000 commercial turkey meat birds; 32,100 commercial turkey meat birds; 68,600 commercial turkey meat birds; 1.37 million commercial table egg layer birdsOtter Tail County — 28,500 commercial turkey meat birds; 19,500 commercial turkey meat birds; 26,700 commercial turkey meat birdsRedwood County — 8,900 commercial turkey meat birds; 18,500 commercial turkey meat birdsSherburne County — 10 WOAH non-poultry birdsStearns County — 71,000 commercial turkey meat birds; 44,900 commercial turkey meat birds; 34,200 commercial turkey meat birdsSteele County — 48,100 commercial turkey meat birdsSwift County — 134,300 commercial turkey meat birdsTodd County — 64,200 commercial turkey breeder tomsWright County — 940,000 commercial table egg layers Missouri Benton County — 16,600 commercial broiler breedersJasper County — 27,300 commercial turkey meat birds Montana Cascade County: 50 WOAH non-poultry birdsFlathead County — 8 WOAH non-poultry birdsGlacier County — 50,300 WOAH poultryMissoula County — 4 WOAH non-poultry birdsPark County — 3 WOAH non-poultry birdsSweet Grass County — 3 WOAH non-poultry birdsWheatland County — 4,000 WOAH poultry birds Nebraska Colfax County — Small backyard flock New Mexico Roosevelt County — 61,500 commercial breeder (multiple bird species); 51,800 commercial breeder (multiple bird species); 15,300 commercial breeder (multiple bird species) Ohio Darke County — 33,000 commercial turkey meat birdsUnion County — 1.348 million commercial table egg layers Oklahoma Carter County — 80 WOAH non-poultry birdsGrady County — 120 WOAH non-poultry birdsWagoner County — 50 WOAH non-poultry birds Oregon Clackamas County — 10 WOAH non-poultry birdsDeschutes County — 30 WOAH non-poultry birdsLinn County — 675,000 commercial broiler production birdsMarion County — 5 WOAH non-poultry birds; 123,000 commercial broiler production birdsUnion County — 100 WOAH poultry New Mexico San Juan County — 20 WOAH non-poultry birds North Dakota Golden Valley County — 90 WOAH non-poultry birdsLamoure County — 25,100 commercial turkey meat birdsMcIntosh County — 100 WOAH poultry birdsMontrose County — 50 WOAH non-poultry birdsWilliams County — 10 WOAH non-poultry birds South Carolina Horry County: 190 WOAH non-poultry birds South Dakota Beadle County — 29,700 commercial turkey meat birds; 78,000 commercial turkey meat birdsCharles Mix County — 74,100 commercial turkey meat birdsClark County — 8,500 commercial upland gamebird producers; 23,600 commercial turkey meat birds; 57,400 commercial turkey meat birdsEdmunds County — 30,100 commercial turkey breeder replacement hens; 24,500 commercial turkey breeder replacement hens; 21,000 commercial upland gamebird producer birds; 19,200 commercial turkey breeder hens; 33,400 commercial turkey meat birdsFaulk County — 49,700 commercial turkey meat birdsHamlin County — 56,200 commercial turkey meat birdsJerauld County — 47,300 commercial turkey meat birdsKingsbury County — 28,800 commercial turkey meat birdsMcPherson County — 65,000 commercial turkey meat birds; 26,000 Commercial turkey breeder hens; 58,400 commercial turkey meat birds; 40,800 commercial turkey meat birdsOrangeburg County: 40 WOAH non-poultry birdsRoberts County — 51,200 commercial turkey meat birdsSpink County: 1,900 commercial raised for release upland game birds Tennessee Lincoln County — 100 WOAH non-poultry birds Texas Palmer County — 1,894,100 commercial table egg layer birds Utah Sanpete County — 141,800 commercial turkey meat birdsUtah County — 60 WOAH non-poultry birds Washington King County — 10 WOAH non-poultry birdsKittitas County — 70 WOAH poultry birds Wisconsin Barron County — 113,800 commercial turkey meat birdsTaylor County — 8 WOAH non-poultry birdsTrempealeau County — 51,400 commercial turkey meat birdsWashburn County: 41,000 commercial turkey meat birds In total, 2.02 million birds have been impacted in Jan. 2024. How to control the avian flu outbreak Anyone involved with poultry production from the small backyard to the large commercial producer should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds, says USDA. The department has a list of tools producers can use to help with biosecurity measures. APHIS is working closely with state animal health officials on joint incident responses. State officials quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the properties will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flocks will not enter the food system. Signs of avian influenza include: birds dying without clinical signs; lack of energy; decreased egg production; soft-shelled or misshapen eggs; swelling or purple discoloration of the head, eyelids, comb, and hocks; nasal discharge; coughing; sneezing; incoordination; and diarrhea. USDA has a resource with images to help identify discoloration and other clinical signs. If farmers have a bird they believe has passed away because of avian influenza, state officials encourage them to double bag the bird and refrigerate to preserve it for testing. Avian influenza is not a foodborne illness and does not pose a food-safety risk. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit