The discovery of the H5N2 strain brings the number of
outbreaks on turkey or chicken farms in Iowa to 46 since the discovery of the
first outbreak in Osceola County in late April, according to APHIS.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health announced
the discovery of the flu in a commercial chicken flock in Renville, Minn. The
affected barn holds 200,000 egg-laying hens, but executives at Rembrandt
Enterprises plans to destroy two million chickens to protect other flocks,
according to a report
in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Minnesota has reported more than 90 outbreaks at regional
turkey and chicken farms since April.
An analysis from the University of Minnesota Extension
estimates that the economic toll of HPAI in the state has hit $309.9 million so
far, according
to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
Loss of poultry production stands at $113 million as of May
11 and the ripple effect including declines in consumer and business spending
since early last week.
Poultry operations are worth an estimated $3 billion in
Minnesota, which has an overall economy worth $312 billion, the analysis
reported.
Separately, efforts to develop a vaccine to prevent bird flu
are escalating.
The Egg Center at Iowa State University is soliciting proposals for research
geared specifically for the U.S. egg industry.
The deadline to submit pre-proposals is June 3 and finalists
will be notified whether they can submit a more cohesive proposal after the
organization’s board reviews the responses.
