By

Chuck Abbott

10/7/2022

https://www.agriculture.com/news/business/more-than-47-million-birds-lost-to-avian-influenza?fbclid=IwAR0s76l4RFG7zQ6fyZmg8zmm1mJ63_lLD7f5964uYUtGX9KN3_gPLdhIgcs

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Bird flu was discovered in a backyard flock in the Albuquerque area, making New Mexico the 42nd state where the viral disease has been confirmed this year, said theAgriculture Departmenton Thursday. More than47 millionbirds in domestic flocks, mostly chickens and turkeys, have died or were culled in efforts to stop the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza since early February.

• READ MORE:How to monitor flocks and report suspected avian influenza

By reducing the size of the U.S. laying flock, bird flu has driven up egg prices. The price of turkey breast meat has also been affected, according to analysts.

Losses topped 47 million birds this week, with outbreaks that included 159,500 game birds on a farm in central Nebraska. There were three large outbreaks in California: a turkey farm in Stanislaus County with…