Bird flu detected in backyard flock in Mississippi County

Bird migration is at its peak and disease could be an issue for poultry farmers and poultry hobbyists. geese, ducks, hummingbirds and other types of birds migrate through the South, starting in August and ending in November. The peak time for this migration is mid-October, according to BirdCast.

H5N1 strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, commonly known as “bird flu,” has already been detected in a backyard flock in Mississippi County this month, said Dustan Clark, extension veterinarian for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and associate director of the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science.

Clark said biosecurity precautions need to be taken by poultry hobbyists.

Unlike most commercial poultry operations, backyard flocks are often continuously exposed to outdoor conditions, creating opportunities to interface with migrating birds and their droppings.

These were the first confirmed cases in the state since January, when two commercial flocks in Cleveland County and one backyard flock in Sharp County confirmed the strain.

The H5N1 strain was first detected in the United States in February 2022. It has now been detected in all 50 states, affecting more than 129 million birds.

Various low pathogenicity strains of influenza always circulate in wild bird populations, but this outbreak has caused billions of dollars of damage to domestic poultry production in Asia, Europe and North America in recent years.

Clark will host on Monday (Oct. 27) a webinar discussing poultry disease risks in small flocks.

“HPAI continues to break in various states,” Clark said. “As the migration of waterfowl has not yet reached peak numbers, it’s important that biosecurity protocols be practiced.”