Additional turkey farms discovered in the increased surveillance zone
JOHNSTON COUNTY – Two additional commercial turkey operations in Johnston County have tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza. These farms were identified during increased surveillance following the first positive HPAI case and are located in the 10 kilometer or 6.2 mile zone identified as a result of that positive case.
The positive samples were identified by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Diagnostic lab in Raleigh. The samples have been sent to the USDA APHIS National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, Iowa to confirm the positive result.
“The two additional flocks totaling about 28,500 turkeys are in the process of being depopulated and a 10-kilometer zones will be set up around these new sites to test nearby farms for the virus,” said State Veterinarian Mike Martin. “Most of this new zone will fall within our original 10-kilometer zone. As a state we have known that the risk for HPAI was high this season. We have seen other states with cases and have known since mid-January it was present in our wild bird population.
“We continue to urge poultry owners to do their part by practicing strict biosecurity and reporting sick or dying birds right away to your local veterinarian, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Division, 919-707-3250, or the N.C. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System 919-733-3986.”
This type of HPAI virus is considered a low risk to people according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, but is highly contagious to other birds, including commercial and backyard flocks of poultry. The virus is also not considered a food safety threat and infected birds do not enter the food supply. Depopulated flocks are composted on site to prevent the spread of the virus.
Composting is the natural degradation of organic resources (such as poultry carcasses) by microorganisms. Composting is effective in killing a variety of diseases including avian influenza.
Avian Influenza can be inactivated in 10 minutes at 140ºF or 90 minutes at 133ºF. Microbial activity within a well-constructed compost pile can generate and maintain temperatures ranging from 130ºF to 150ºF for several weeks, which is enough to inactivate the AI virus. Composting is an approved disposal method because it contains the disease and limits off-farm disease transmission, limits the risks of groundwater and air pollution, inactivates pathogens in carcasses and litter and helps limit public concerns over disease exposure.
To learn the signs of avian influenza, biosecurity tips and more information go to www.ncagr.gov/avianflu.
Where are the anti-science people on this? Why is this not being called a hoax?
Because they are thousands of dead birds that no one in their right mind gives a crap about Mr. John. Oh, forgive me Mr. John for not being more defined in describing these unfortunate dealths of other wise turkey’s that may end up in the compost at a landscape near you? Mr. John they have been more babies ripped from thier safe place before birth by the millions, have you asked about those hoaxes or question the anti-science people of those horrific events?
Oh my thank you for that response. Keep going down that hypertension inducing rabbit hole. Where did those millions of babies go? The stomach of Hillary Clinton?
Terry….I believe you might have missed the sarcasm in the correlation that John was making between high path avian flu and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 disease. When and why you decided to make the leap to a woman’s reproductive rights is baffling. No one claims abortions to be hoaxes. I was lucky to have had the option when I was 20, in a stable relationship but not yet ready to be a parent. But as long as we are on the topic, I would like to pose a question to you: why are so many of the “anti-mask/vaccine” crowd, who claim they have ultimate authority over their bodies, seem to also be the same ones telling millions of women that they do not have final say when it comes to theirs?? Just something to think about…
Samantha, if your cold blooded enough to have the procedure done I am more than ok with it as long as no tax payers money is used. Now abortion during or after a delivery is another kind of genocide belonging in another category all to it self. Don’t use tax payers money to force a mask and a vaccine on those that don’t want it. Let the legal executionist use non-tax dollars to remove those children from their safe place. When it is your money to have the procedure done, they will be less of them done and tax-payers are not in any way connected to the horrors of a unborn child recoiling as instruments invades it safe place to begin the inhuman dismemberment. Samantha, I never mentioned outlawing abortion that are privately funded and before the sixth week. Just don’t use public tax dollars and don’t give birds and whales lives more value than innocent children that could live outside the so-called mothers body. Samantha, I think they are so many others that reads these comments that would be glad to pay just to witness these barbaric actions in order for the so-called poor to have access to funded abortions. Just think Samantha of all the media coverage of aborted fetuses body parts being sold in the news the last few years. I am not directing this to you Samantha, but tax-payers have you ever honestly dwelled on what does true evil really look like. Just keep that thought in your mind when out in public?