I suppose it had to get here sooner or later. The dreaded avian flu has struck in Alberta – it’s first Canadian explosion this year. Some 24 outbreaks of bird flu have been reported there this fall. Farmers say it’s the worst season in years…
Eleven poultry farms have placed under quarantine for bird flu since November 30. Farmers in the counties of Strathcona, Lethbridge, Ponoka, Wetaskiwin, Sturgeon and Leduc, as well as the district of Taber have so far been hit. These locales are mainly in the middle and southern parts of the province.
There were six outbreaks in all in 2024 in Alberta, including two at large commercial producers. Chicken and turkey growers, egg production facilities and hatcheries saw 10 outbreaks in 2023 and 38 in 2022. This year’s ‘season’ could be even worse…
Devastating losses
Scott Olson, a Wetaskiwin-area turkey farmer, this is his third run-in with the bits flu, following one in 2022 and another in 2023. His 10,000 bird operation is current shut down undergoing a thorough cleaning and disinfection. He hopes to be back in production after an inspection next month.
“It’s such a bad disease,” Olson, who is also a director with Alberta Turkey Producers, told CBC. “We work with a ‘stamp-out’ policy, essentially so we’re not affecting our neighbours … It’s like a fire: you’re just trying to put the fire out.”
Alberta’s avian flu losses since 2022 have topped 2.5 million birds. They’re second only to BC where an estimated 9 million birds died.
A real blow to farmers
It’s true that poultry farmers are compensated by the government for losses acco0rding to the marketable weight of their euthanized flocks. But in November and earlier – in October, particularly – that means a major loss, since the birds in their systems are still quite small.
“It’s on everybody’s mind,” said Jeff Notenbomer, a Lethbridge-area chicken breeder and a director on the Canadian Poultry Research Council.”It’s […] a major blow to [producers] mentally. Depending on the different feather [poultry] industries, it can take well over a year to recover.”
Not just out west
Bird flu isn’t confined to the west, in spite of efforts to contain and eradicate the disease. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reports that bird flu was detected on a 100,000-bird turkey farm in Southern Ontario last month.
My take
The good news , market watchers say, is that, if the bird flu can be kept under control over the balance of this season, consumers should see no major shortages or price increases in chicken or turkey meat, or eggs.
The bad news? It’s still early…
On another tack… I was surprised to gear that avian flu is often spread but by domestic, farmed foul, but by migrating Canada Geese. They, too, are susceptible to the disease, but don’t succumb to it as easily. The problem is, they migrate. And leave the virus in the rivers and fields as they pass through, north to south, twice a year. One of the worst problems farmers have is maki9ng sure their boots and machinery are squeaky-clean before entering their barns…
~ Maggie J.