Fresh turkeys might be a little hard to find this fall due to avian flu, but supplies of the frozen product should be easy to locate, according to Turkey Farmers of Canada.
While the impact to consumers from the avian influenza outbreak this year will be modest, the highly viral strain is having a bigger effect on producers.
“Producers are very connected with their animals,” said Darren Ference, Alberta-based Turkey Farmers of Canada chair. “When avian influenza hits, it’s very mentally trying on those people. And those people it hasn’t hit, we’re all just sitting on pins and needles waiting to see when it might happen.”
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If critical products are unavailable when needed, it could result in unnecessary human and animal deaths in the worst-case scenario.
Alberta was the Canadian hotspot in the spring with 20 commercial operations reporting cases in April and May and an additional three cases in July and August.
So far this fall, six commercial operations have been found with positive cases between September though to the first week of October.
After a relatively calm spring with only a single commercial operation reporting a bird flu case, Manitoba has been slammed with 13.
Saskatchewan had six commercial operations impacted in the spring followed by another half dozen this fall so far.
Ference said many producers find themselves in tough situations.
“There is nothing we can do but run higher biosecurity,” which Ference said is already elevated. “And we’re still getting outbreaks.”
Infected migratory bird populations are the source of this year’s outbreak, which has seen all three prairie provinces hit for the first time.
While the spring outbreaks hit all poultry producers, Ference said turkeys have been particularly affected this fall.
“As we come through this fall, the majority (of cases) have been in the turkey flocks,” he said.
As for the economics of the outbreaks to the turkey industry, Ference said it can’t meet all demand for the fresh market but consumers should be able to find the product; it might just mean going to more than one store.
Thanksgiving accounts for 45 percent of the yearly whole bird market with Christmas placing a close second.
However, year-round production of frozen turkeys should allow for consumers to still access a bird.
Some of the restrictions placed on exports for breeding turkeys and poults may work in favour of restocking domestic supplies and turkeys should be available with the Christmas season approaching.
“That could solve a lot of our problems right now for the poults,” said Ference. “And the Christmas birds are all in the barn right now.”
Ference said poultry producers are working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to explore ways to reduce the culling required.
