Bird Flu Spreads To New Countries, Threatens Non-stop "War" On Poultry  

 

• Avian flu has reached new corners of the globe and has become endemic for the first time in some wild birds that transmit the virus to poultry, according to veterinarians and disease experts, who warn it is now a year-round problem.
• Reuters spoke to more than 20 experts and farmers on four continents who said the prevalence of the virus in the wild signals that record outbreaks will not abate soon on poultry farms, ramping up threats to the world's food supply. They warned that farmers must view the disease as a serious risk all year instead of focusing prevention efforts during spring migration seasons for wild birds.
• The United States, Britain, France, and Japan are among the countries that have suffered record losses of poultry over the past year, leaving some farmers feeling helpless. The virus is usually deadly to poultry, and entire flocks are culled when even one bird tests positive.
• "It's a new war," said Bret Marsh, the state veterinarian in the U.S. state of Indiana. "It's basically a 12-month vigil." Indiana lost more than 200,000 turkeys and other birds over the past year, while total U.S. deaths top 58 million birds, according to U.S. government data, surpassing the previous 2015 record.
• Egg prices set records after the disease wiped out tens of millions of hens last year, putting a staple source of cheap protein out of reach to some of the world's poorest at a time the global economy is reeling from high inflation.
• That being said, this avian flu outbreak and the resulting decline in birds may bode well for other segments of the protein industry. Beef producers like Marfrig may experience an increase in demand as consumers seek alternatives to poultry.

(Sources: Reuters & NCBCM Research)