Nebraska farmland is taking a big hit as yet another farm has been struck by the deadly bird flu, which marks the state’s 13th case, according to a news release posted to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture’s Facebook account.
Nebraska’s department of agriculture, along with the United States department of agriculture’s (USDA) animal and plant health inspection service (APHIS), announced another confirmed case of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
Nebraska’s agriculture officials said another 1.8 million chickens must be killed after bird flu was found on a farm. The latest sign of a disease outbreak has already prompted the slaughter of more than 50 million birds nationwide.
The chickens were killed to limit the spread of the deadly disease.
“The affected flock will be depopulated and will be disposed of in an approved manner,” said Nebraska’s department of agriculture state veterinarian Dr. Roger Dudley.
“NDA will establish a 6.2-mile control zone, as is USDA policy, around the affected premises,” the statement continued. “Poultry producers should know the signs and symptoms of the highly pathogenic avian influenza and notify NDA immediately of sick or dying birds.”
The total number of cases of HPAI in Nebraska this year is now up to 13. The affected farm is a commercial flock of laying birds in Dixon County, just 120 miles north of Omaha, Nebraska.
More than 52.3 million birds in 46 states have been affected, according to USDA data. The majority were chickens and turkeys on commercial farms.
To date, Nebraska’s 6.8 million birds exposed at the 13 farms is only second to Iowa, which had 15.5 million birds killed.
HPAI is a highly contagious virus that spreads easily among birds. The NDA encourages bird owners to prevent contact between their birds and wildlife and practice strict biosecurity measures.
The impact of bird flu has been felt across the nation and has led to increased prices, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
