are turkeys affected by bird flu

As we near Thanksgiving, a holiday for which approximately 46 million turkeys will be slaughtered, these innocent birds face another deadly threat in the form of avian flu’s return to the U.S. turkey industry.

In 2020, outbreaks of this highly pathogenic disease, most commonly known as bird flu, slammed the poultry industry, fueled by the intensive conditions that dominate U.S. farming of chickens and turkeys. These outbreaks led to the culling (the killing of animals before they would have been slaughtered for human consumption) of millions of farmed birds with controversial methods like ventilation shutdown — essentially using heatstroke to kill animals en masse, a practice criticized by animal advocates and some concerned veterinarians. While birds suffered and consumers faced rising prices, the turkey industry’s profits rose by 21 percent in 2022 over the previous year despite a drop in production.

The USDA has now reported the first cases of avian flu on U.S. turkey farms since April, impacting 47,300 turkeys on a South Dakota farm and 141,800 turkeys in just one Utah operation. This week, news broke of 140,000 more affected in Minnesota. These outbreaks demonstrate the massive scale of factory farms — and push the number of birds culled due to influenza in recent years to the edge of 60 million.

What’s worse is that experts believe that the time of year and the migration of wild birds will mean that this threat will only grow in the coming months, as South Dakota’s State Veterinarian, Beth Thompson, told ABC News.

Bird flu is not only extremely contagious among birds but also nearly 100 percent fatal, a grim reality that means that farms cull their entire flocks when an outbreak occurs.

All animals want to live, a simple truth that calls into question the slaughter of any animal as humane. When killing thousands of animals simultaneously, the methods used become even more cruel.

One such method is ventilation shutdown plus (VSD+), in which all ventilation to a shed is shut down to kill many animals at once via heatstroke. Steam, heat, or gas is pumped into the shed to hasten the process, but some animals have been found to suffer for long periods, and others may survive the initial cull.

In a study published in December 2022 amid the rising use of heatstroke to cull pigs and birds, researchers wrote, “Non-lethal heat stress is widely acknowledged to be detrimental to animal welfare…and temperature-humidity conditions that are high enough to cause death also are accepted as causing severe suffering.”

Sadly, the American Veterinary Medical Association has not condemned this practice it considers to be acceptable in “constrained circumstances,” demonstrating how differently our society — even those whose work is dedicated to caring for animals — views the animals we think of as food and those we think of as companions. Veterinarians opposed to VSD+ have likened the practice to “leaving a dog in a hot car” with all windows shut and the heat turned on “full blast.”

Bird flu is a deadly disease that is highly contagious among birds. As a result, farms must cull their entire flocks when an outbreak happens.

The USDA has now reported the first cases of avian flu on U.S. turkey farms since April, impacting 47,300 turkeys on a South Dakota farm and 141,800 turkeys in just one Utah operation. This week, news broke of 140,000 more affected in Minnesota. These outbreaks demonstrate the massive scale of factory farms — and push the number of birds culled due to influenza in recent years to the edge of 60 million.

The basic fact that all animals desire to live raises doubts about whether killing any animal is ever humane. The methods used to kill thousands of animals at once become even more brutal.

The argument for factory farming has been presented as advancement and an effective means of meeting the world’s unsatisfactory demand for animal products, particularly in developed countries like the United States. However, bird flu provides a concerning illustration of our industrialized food system’s shortcomings. Factory farms’ very design contributes to the disease’s grip on the United S. farms and exterminates millions of birds, causing terrible mass extinctions as a result of the massive size of commercial flocks.

What’s worse is that experts believe that the time of year and the migration of wild birds will mean that this threat will only grow in the coming months, as South Dakota’s State Veterinarian, Beth Thompson, told ABC News.

How can I track HPAI cases?

USDA APHIS posts all confirmed HPAI cases in non-commercial and commercial flocks on the agency’s website. These postings may be accessed here.

Important Facts About Avian Influenza

• Bird HPAI detections do not pose a threat to public health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have additional information.
• Before and after handling live poultry or wild birds, wash your hands. Not only can you transfer illnesses from one farm to another or from one bird to another, but you can also transfer pathogens like Salmonella that can affect people’s health. Click here for more helpful tips.
• Turkey products remain safe and nutritious. Avian influenza does not pose a food safety risk. Turkeys contaminated with HPAI are no longer suitable for sale and cannot be brought into the country. Customers should keep handling poultry products carefully and cooking them to 165°F. To review the Core Four steps for food safety, click here.

FAQ

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