How bad is bird flu in Michigan and what does it mean for eggs and milk?

Lansing State Journal Staff Writer
| Lansing State Journal

LANSING – The U.S. bird flu outbreak has continued to spread in Michigan, where the disease was detected in poultry and cattle, prompting an emergency order from state officials earlier this month.

Thursday's news that 400 people will be laid off at Herbruck's Poultry Ranch Ionia County and that 6.5 million chickens will likely have to be killed in Ionia County alone to stop the spread was the latest indication that the disease is having widespread impact Michigan could have. The impact could affect the prices and availability of eggs and meat, as well as 4-H fairs.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 91 million poultry have been affected in the U.S., with outbreaks occurring in 48 states as of Friday. Additionally, nine states, including Michigan, have reported outbreaks of avian influenza in cattle, affecting 49 herds in the United States. Additionally, more than 9,000 cases have been identified in wild birds in 50 states.

The most recent outbreaks occurred in backyard herds: on May 2 in Gratiot County and on May 10 in Ionia County, said Tim Boring, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Boring noted that the problem is not new in Michigan, with poultry having been affected several times in recent years.

“What makes it different here today is the detection of highly pathogenic bird flu in dairy cows,” Boring said. “Poultry farms have been operating with a high level of virus protection for years.”

Here's what we know about the disease and its possible effects.

Is H5NI (bird flu) dangerous for humans?

Two human cases have been detected in the United States, although 889 people in 23 countries were infected between 2023 and this year, according to the World Health Organization. In the United States, a poultry worker was infected in 2022 and a person was infected from a dairy cow in Texas this year.

The disease can be fatal to humans, with more than half of human cases worldwide fatal, said Erin Sorrell, senior scientist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Maryland, to the Association of American Medical Colleges. However, this was not the case in the United States

The person who became infected after working with poultry in 2022 reported mild fatigue and recovered, the AAMC reported, and the case this year in Texas caused conjunctivitis and the person recovered.

“Currently, this is a low-risk situation for humans,” Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told the AAMC. But that could change as the virus spreads among more animals, he warned.

Boring said people in Michigan don't get bird flu.

“We remain on high alert that this virus does not mutate,” he said. “We continue to believe this remains a low public health threat. We focus on the animals’ response so we don’t see any future health threats.”

The CDC also said the public health risk is currently low, but the agency is “carefully monitoring the situation and working with states to monitor people exposed to animals.”

Which counties in Michigan are affected by poultry infections?

Michigan has seen a large number of backyard outbreaks and some commercial infections, Boring said.

There are infections at commercial poultry plants in Ionia, Gratiot, Newago and Ottawa counties, Boring said. In Barry County, a backyard herd is infected.

What impact does this have on poultry?

According to the CDC, bird flu is devastating to chicken populations, resulting in a 90 to 100% mortality rate for infected chickens within 48 hours.

The virus, most commonly transmitted by wild birds, is highly contagious and birds spread the disease through their saliva, nasal secretions and feces. You can also become infected through contact with surfaces contaminated with the virus, according to the CDC.

Once an infection is detected in a flock, the entire flock is killed or depopulated in accordance with federal regulations, according to the National Chicken Council.

Boring said because the disease is both highly contagious and deadly in bird species of all species, state and federal officials will work with a producer to discuss options once a case is confirmed. The result, Boring said, is typically “depopulation of the herds because the disease is so deadly.”

Boring said MDARD is optimistic that “we will not see any further impacts to bird species or commercial populations.”

Greenstone Farm Credit Services, which provides financial outlooks for agricultural markets, said more than 52 million poultry died in 46 states, although Michigan was significantly less affected.

Which counties in Michigan are affected by cattle infections?

According to MDARD, Ingham, Clinton and Gratiot counties in the Lansing area, as well as Allegan and Isabella counties, have reported infections in dairy herds. The first infection was detected on March 29th.

The measures Boring ordered in an emergency order include isolating infected cattle, banning non-essential visitors and anyone who has recently been on a poultry farm. The department notes that the spread of infections among herds is not fully understood by scientists.

So far, “this disease has been identified in lactating dairy cows,” Boring said. “We haven’t seen it in cattle.”

What is Michigan doing?

Boring issued an emergency order on May 1 due to the spread of infections in cattle and poultry.

The order introduces requirements from May 8 that farms must appoint a biosecurity manager, create a safe perimeter around the farm with limited access points, and implement cleaning and disinfection practices and procedures for both vehicles and individuals at these access points . Establishments must also maintain a logbook that records all vehicles and people who have exited the vehicles and passed through these access points. This logbook must be available for review by MDARD officials upon request.

In addition, Boring imposed a show ban on all lactating cattle and those in the last two months of pregnancy until there have been no new cases of avian influenza in Michigan for 60 days. There is a ban on exhibitions for all types of poultry until there are no new cases in the state for 30 days. This ban applies to chickens, guinea fowl, turkeys, waterfowl, pigeons, peacocks and wild birds raised on farms.

Michigan's egg and milk production is among the largest in the country.

Michigan has nearly 900 dairy farms caring for approximately 440,000 cows and leads the nation in milk production per cow.

Are chicken and turkey safe to eat?

According to the National Egg Council, bird flu is not a foodborne illness, meaning people cannot get it from eating properly cooked poultry. And federal and state regulations prevent infected birds from entering the food chain.

Boring described the actions of state and federal authorities as a “really robust response,” adding that the USDA, FDA and CDC had “a coordinated federal response” to the outbreak.

When preparing raw chicken, people are strongly advised to pay attention to proper food handling and preparation. While poultry is considered safe at 165 degrees, the best quality is determined at 170 degrees for white meat for chicken and turkey, 180 degrees for dark meat for chicken and turkey, and 165 degrees for ground chicken and turkey.

Will this affect egg prices or availability?

According to the Associated Press, egg prices in the U.S. are higher and trending higher, although they are not expected to return to 2021 levels.

The average price for a dozen eggs was $2.99 in February, according to government data, down from $4.21 a year ago but higher than the $1.59 per dozen in February 2021.

Bird flu is expected to impact prices, Emily Metz, president of the American Egg Board, a marketing organization, told the AP. She explained that egg markets can take time to recover even after an outbreak ends, as it takes three to six months to replenish a flock. With a lower supply of eggs, prices can be expected to rise.

And, Metz told the AP, if farms overstock with too many chickens, that could lead to a drop in prices, which is what happened last summer when prices neared $2 a dozen

Additionally, Michigan is one of several states adopting cage-free facilities, which will add additional costs to producers as they make the transition. The Michigan rule goes into effect this year, AP reported.

Regarding egg prices, Boring said, “We are still working to determine the impact. We are working closely with affected producers to help them deal with these incidents and get them back into production as quickly as possible.”

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, egg prices are expected to fall about 2.8% this year, AP reported, although the growing threat of bird flu could ultimately impact that estimate.

What about milk?

Pasteurization has been confirmed to kill the virus, Boring said.

What does this mean for 4-H fairs?

“Unfortunately, this is not the first time that highly contagious bird flu has occurred in Michigan,” Boring said. “We require 30 days of backyard or commercial clearance for poultry and we work closely with trade shows and associations to communicate this.”

He added that since the disease only affects lactating dairy cows, “there is still a possibility of having other types of cattle at fairs.”

What's next?

“This is a public health issue for us and an animal health issue,” Boring said. “We are learning a lot very quickly and are implementing protective measures for farms.

“We are definitely not out of the woods. We continue to see new cases on dairy farms and that is impacting poultry farms. We are very responsive in both the poultry and dairy sectors in Michigan.”

csibon

How bad is bird flu in Michigan and what does it mean for eggs and milk?

Is H5NI (bird flu) dangerous for humans?

Which counties in Michigan are affected by poultry infections?

What impact does this have on poultry?

Which counties in Michigan are affected by cattle infections?

What is Michigan doing?

Are chicken and turkey safe to eat?

Will this affect egg prices or availability?

What about milk?

What does this mean for 4-H fairs?

What's next?

Anna Harden

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Is H5NI (bird flu) dangerous for humans?

Which counties in Michigan are affected by poultry infections?

What impact does this have on poultry?

Which counties in Michigan are affected by cattle infections?

What is Michigan doing?

Are chicken and turkey safe to eat?

Will this affect egg prices or availability?

What about milk?

What does this mean for 4-H fairs?

What's next?

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