Minnesota Board of Animal Health confirms avian flu in Meeker County flock

MEEKER COUNTY — Highly pathogenic avian influenza was confirmed Wednesday in a commercial turkey flock in Meeker County.

A lab of the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed positive samples from the flock of around 140,000 birds, according to a news release from the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. The site is quarantined and birds were depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease.

“Unfortunately, HPAI seems to keep popping up during the seasonal migrations in Minnesota,” said State Veterinarian Dr. Brian Hoefs in the release. “Before today’s detection our most recent cases were in the spring of this year. Anyone who has poultry should take this detection as a clear sign to keep a close eye on their flock and initiate your strongest biosecurity practices.”

The Board of Animal Health says poultry producers and backyard flock owners should contact their veterinarian if they see symptoms in their flock, which include the following:

The Board of Animal Health also recommends that farmers review their biosecurity measures to help maintain the health of their flocks.Poultry remains safe to eat. Poultry and eggs should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

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