Bird flu devastates 17 farms in Manitoba

Nearly 300,000 birds on Manitoba poultry farms have died or been killed in the past six weeks as highly contagious avian flu swept through flocks in Interlake and the southeastern part of the province.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has identified 17 poultry farms, both commercial and non-commercial, as sites with confirmed infections of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza.

The virus, first detected in a commercial herd in Manitoba in April, has spread rapidly this fall, with 15 farms reporting infections since mid-September. So far, outbreaks have been concentrated in the rural communities of Bifrost-Riverton and Ste. Anne.

As of last Wednesday, an estimated 289,000 birds — including chickens and turkeys — had died or been destroyed as part of efforts to contain the contagion, most of them in the past month, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency said.

Details of individual farms are not being released to protect the privacy of growers who are dealing with a significant setback to their farms, a spokesman for the agency said.

At least six of the recent outbreaks are affecting turkey farmers, said Helga Wheddon, general manager of Manitoba Turkey Producers. The association represents 53 farms in the province.

“It can be very stressful and difficult for them to go through,” Wheddon said.

The stakes are high for turkey farmers taking every precaution to stop the virus from being introduced, she said. However, the disease has already devastated some producers with flocks of 3,000 to 10,000 birds.

“Turkish producers are very concerned. It’s their entire investment and it’s hard for them because they’re very proud of these birds that they raise,” said Wheddon.

She could not say how many turkeys were among the estimated 289,000 birds affected. Farmers are still going through the process of assessing their losses, she added.

“It was almost an emergency measure at that point,” she said.

It’s hard to say what’s behind the rapid introduction of the virus into commercial turkey farms, but fall migration of wild birds is likely a significant factor, Wheddon said.

Commercial and backyard poultry operations across North America have been disrupted by highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza, which have infected more than three million commercially farmed birds in Canada and more than 47 million in the United States this year alone.

Geese, ducks and shorebirds carry the virus between regions and spread it through direct and indirect contact. Contaminated feces, equipment, clothing, shoes, vehicles, water, and feed can all contribute to spread.

“It’s certainly a concern for us,” Wheddon said of the growing number of outbreaks. “But we know our producers are trying and will do their best in terms of biosecurity and we can really tell them that now.”

Consumers are unlikely to notice any disruptions in the local turkey supply chain, although that could change depending on how the outbreaks progress, she said.

The CFIA said bird flu was not a food safety issue.

To date, Manitoba has not reported any cases of human infection related to the outbreaks. The risk of contracting H5N1 is low, and human-to-human transmission is considered rare.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported a single case of human avian flu in April. A single case was also reported in the UK in December 2021.

In a statement, a provincial government spokesman said it supports the CFIA and poultry producers in monitoring and destroying and disposing of birds on affected farms.

“Manitoba Agriculture has also been reaching out to small flock owners to ensure everyone working with poultry has access to appropriate resources and to assist with regulations needed in control zones,” the spokesman said in a statement.

“Public health is working with affected producers to provide relevant information about avian flu, access to resources such as flu shots and mental health support.”

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