WattAgNet: Avian influenza infects 2nd South Dakota turkey flock

H5N2 avian influenza confirmed in flock of 34,000 commercial turkeys in Kingsbury County, South Dakota
Release Date: 2015-04-09
South Dakota has had its second confirmed case of avian influenza in a commercial turkey flock. The USDA’sAnimal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) on April 9 confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza Kingsbury County flock.

The affected flock included 34,000 turkeys. State officials quarantined the premises and birds on the property will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease.

Samples from the turkey flock, which experienced increased mortality, were tested at the South Dakota State University Animal Disease Research & Diagnostic Laboratory and the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa confirmed the findings.

APHIS is working closely with the South Dakota Board of Animal Health on a joint incident response and the South Dakota Department of Health is working directly with poultry workers at the affected facilities to ensure that they are taking the proper precautions.

The state’s first case of avian influenza was confirmed on April 2. In that case, a flock of 53,000 commercial turkeys in Beadle County was infected withH5N2 avian influenza.

USDA will include the confirmation information in routine updates to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), and will notify international trading partners of this finding as appropriate. 

To help poultry growers and producers monitor outbreaks of avian influenza, WATTAgNet has created an interactive map tracking confirmed2015 avian influenza outbreaks in North America.