Bird flu kills hundreds of thousands of turkeys in Manitoba

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Poultry farmers in Manitoba are nervous and are stepping up safety measures as a strain of bird flu continues to kill livestock and ravage local farms.

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“Any disease problem on a farm is never a good situation, so it’s of great concern to our industry, and it’s absolutely devastating to these farms and producers,” said Helga Wheddon, general manager of Manitoba Turkey Producers.

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Wheddon spoke to that Winnipeg Sun on Friday amid ongoing cases of bird flu in the province that have already wiped out about 290,000 birds at 17 different poultry farm sites, many of those birds being turkeys.

The virus, also commonly known as bird flu, has also killed layers and broilers and affected producers nationwide as more than 3 million birds have been wiped out by the virus in Canada in recent months.

Wheddon said it’s migratory birds that bring bird flu to Manitoba, and the numbers of these birds increase in the spring and fall, opening up more opportunities for the virus to spread during those times of the year.

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She said this latest spike has prompted Manitoba producers to step up their biosecurity measures in hopes the virus doesn’t make it to their farms and kill their livestock.

“They usually already have a very strict biosecurity plan on the farms and now they’re even more careful to follow that,” Wheddon said.

“Our producers are very concerned and take this very seriously. We remain vigilant.”

Because farmers and producers rely on their crops and livestock for a living, Wheddon said she knows that when farmers have outbreaks that kill livestock, it can be difficult financially, but also difficult for their mental well-being and health Moral.

“For a farmer, that’s his livelihood, that’s his investment, and the animals he raises take great pride, so it’s a tough, difficult process.”

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But despite the loss of hundreds of thousands of birds in Manitoba, Wheddon said they have yet to see the virus and do not expect it to cause supply chain problems or increase poultry prices here in Manitoba in the days, weeks and months to come.

“Producers and farmers don’t set those prices, the market sets those prices based on supply and demand, and right now we don’t see this particular issue affecting those prices.”

As Christmas approaches, she also wants to remind Manitobaans that while bird flu can wreak havoc on poultry farms, it poses no risk to anyone eating turkey or other poultry products raised here in Manitoba.

“This is in no way a food safety issue for consumers,” Wheddon said.

Growers and farmers are now hoping that once winter comes to Manitoba and fewer migratory birds will be around, the outbreak will subside and the number of livestock lost will decrease, Wheddon said.

– Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter based out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Canadian government.