Poultry producers are cautiously optimistic that the worst of the avian influenza outbreak, which wreaked havoc in Western Canada last year, might be over following a quiet spring.
However, while there were few cases on the Prairies, a single instance in Warner County at a commercial operation in southern Alberta, another case in a non-commercial flock in Red Deer County, and a case in the Rural Municipality of Maple Creek in Saskatchewan is a reminder avian influenza is present.
“We’re encouraging people not to let their guard down,” said Maria Leslie, spokesperson for the Alberta Poultry Industry Emergency Management Team, made up of organizations across the chicken, egg and turkey industries.
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“From the Alberta farmer perspective, we’re just continuing to operate under high standards of biosecurity and coming into migratory bird season, farmers are just taking extra precautions on top of already incredibly strict biosecurity protocols.”
The Warner case is the first commercial operation with an outbreak since Nov. 22, 2022. The Saskatchewan case is the first since Nov. 14, 2022.
The last case in Manitoba was in October of last year and British Columbia hasn’t had a reported case since April.
