5.3 MILLION chickens euthanized on Iowa farm as bird flu epidemic devastates

The H5N2 bird flu virus took its biggest toll on a farm in northwest Iowa, in Osceola County. There are seven other Midwestern states that have been hit by the virus. The number of deaths in chickens and turkeys caused by the bird flu virus has been counted to around 7.8 million as of March. Minnesota, the top producer of turkeys, has also been affected by the virus.

span style="line-height: 15.8599996566772px;">MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - Twenty-eight of the farms in Minnesota had been hit by the virus, a greater number than that of other states that have been affected by the H5N2. According to experts, this has happened in Minnesota because their thousands of lakes and ponds have been attracting the migrating ducks and other waterfowls.

The strain has affected almost 10 percent of the egg-laying chickens in the mentioned farm in Iowa. The bird flu virus is now the concern of poultry producers, as they are worried this will spread in other states and find its way onto their farms and kill their chickens and turkey. Because of this, a massive bird cull needs to be done in Iowa.

The H5N2 strain is highly contagious once it reaches your barn. As of this time, the poultry producers wish the warm weather will somehow kill the virus.

Although the virus could die when the weather warms up, there is a huge possibility that there will be a resurgence of the virus strain by fall, as the wild waterfowls fly south during winter, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) chief veterinary officer, Dr. John Clifford. These waterfowls are carriers of the avian influenza.
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The main concern of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is that the virus strain will retain for the next several years. The government, however, will not compensate the bird producers that experienced birds dying of the bird flu virus.

They can, however, reimburse the expenses for euthanizing the infected birds. Once there is an infection on the farm, all the birds living there should be euthanized to prevent the virus from spreading to other farms.

To prevent the spread of the H5N2 bird flu, there are certain precautions that are being strictly implemented and followed. Some precautions include sanitizing of equipment being brought in and out of the farm, requiring workers to shower before going in and out of the farm, to disinfect the boots that are going to be worn and to wear protective overalls while being inside the farm.

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