Almost 1 million chickens to be culled in Wright County to contain bird flu outbreak
FILE - Cage-free chickens stand in a fenced pasture on an organic farm, Oct. 21, 2015, in Iowa. Livestock and poultry producers will need to comply with more specific standards if they want to label their products organic under final rules announced Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
Nearly 1 million chickens at a Wright County egg farm will be slaughtered after the flock came into contact with bird flu.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shared data that shows a commercial table egg layer in Wright County had a confirmed outbreak affecting 940,000 birds on Nov. 3.
Last month, more than 330,000 birds across 11 flocks in seven counties – Becker, Pine, Kandiyohi, Meeker, Redwood, Brown and Blue Earth – were impacted by bird flu, according to data from the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.
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Experts say migratory birds are the main spreader of bird flu, meaning the outbreaks often sync with seasonal migration patterns.
So far, this outbreak is less severe than another bird flu spike that started in early 2022, which led to a poultry ban that was later lifted that summer. That led to almost 58 million birds, mostly chickens and turkeys, being slaughtered in 2022. The cullings contributed to significantly higher egg prices nationwide.
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CLICK HERE to see past reporting on bird flu outbreaks.
CLICK HERE to see the latest data from the Minnesota Board of Animal Health.