More avian flu cases detected in Jay County
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Less than two weeks after a case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, was found in a commercial turkey farm in Jay County, the State Board of Animal Health says two more cases have been detected.
The latest cases involve a commercial egg production facility and a commercial turkey farm, though it’s not clear if the latter is the same farm as the original case earlier this month.
Hoosier Ag Today reported this week that the egg production facility has 354,000 hens, and the unnamed farm is under quarantine. It is the largest commercial poultry operation to test positive for the virus and the first commercial egg production farm in Indiana that has been impacted by the HPAI outbreak, the publication said.
The second turkey farm case was reported on Thursday, and the Board of Animal Health said the farm has a flock of nearly 19,000. The farm, which has also not been identified, has also been placed under quarantine.
The original turkey farm case, reported Jan. 4, involved a flock of more than 20,000 birds, which have since been depopulated after the National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed the positive test.
Jay County is located northeast of Muncie along the Indiana-Ohio border.
Prior to this month, the last instance of a positive test for avian flu was Feb. 23, 2024, in a non-commercial turkey flock in Allen County. The board said HPAI has been identified on more than 1,300 premises in all 50 states—including several in Indiana—since February 2022.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says while avian influenza is a major threat to the poultry industry, the virus does not present a danger to food safety. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says poultry cooked to a safe internal temperature kills bacteria and viruses.