Another Oregon backyard poultry farm infected with bird flu

State officials have euthanized four backyard flocks infected with bird flu. (Lynne Terry/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

Another lawn poultry farm in Deschutes County has lost its flock to bird flu

State agronomical officials said the outbreak was confirmed Tuesday, marking the 4th outbreak in Deschutes County. As of Thursday, state and federal agriculture officials accept "humanely euthanized" 980 birds, including 40 chickens and ducks in the latest outbreak, according to the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

All of the Deschutes Canton farms with outbreaks sold eggs, but the outbreaks do not prevent a public health threat, country officials said. Meat from the euthanized birds volition not be sold to eat. Avian influenza does not bear on poultry meat or egg products, which are prophylactic to swallow provided they're prepared safely and cooked enough.

Land officials have identified four other outbreaks in Oregon: two in Linn Canton and one each in Lane and Polk counties. The virus also infected a backyard flock in Idaho, close to the Oregon border.

The virus was initially plant in a baldheaded eagle in British Columbia in mid-March. Officials identified the first infected flocks in Oregon and Washington in early May.

The virus is carried past migrating birds. The current strain is peculiarly deadly to poultry. Usually, Oregon birds become infected by a milder strain, according to Ryan Scholz, country veterinary at the Department of Agronomics. The concluding fourth dimension information technology decimated lawn flocks was in 2015. It's also unusual for bird flu to affect flocks well into summer, specialists said.

The state has established quarantine zones effectually affected farms to contain the virus. The latest instance prompted the state to extend the quarantine zone that had encircled Bend seven miles to the centre of Redmond, including the fairgrounds. Chickens, ducks, turkeys or poultry products cannot be moved in the quarantine. Country officials had no estimate of affected farms.

The Deschutes County Fair and Rodeo will accept place Aug. 3 through Aug. 7. Normally, the quarantine would forestall owners from showing and selling birds at the fair until Scholz inspects the expanse to confirm the virus is independent.

Scholz won't be able to carry out the inspection before the fair, according to a statement past the Department of Agriculture. It said he is working with Deschutes County 4-H on a plan to allow participants to showroom and sell birds at the fair but they won't be able to exhibit breeding birds.

In Oregon, no commercial poultry operations have been affected past bird influenza. They normally heighten chickens in large confined spaces. State agriculture officials brash backyard flock owners to exist vigilant about biosecurity measures and surveillance. "Preventing contact between wild birds and domestic flocks is the all-time mode to protect domestic birds from this disease," the department said in a statement. "Information technology merely takes a tiny bit of contact to transfer (bird influenza)."

The land asked owners to written report flocks affected by illness or death by calling 503-986-4711 or 800-347-7028. Residents should report sick or dead wild birds to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wild fauna at 866-968-2600 or Wildlife.Health@odfw.oregon.gov. The birds should not be handled.

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