WESTERN PRODUCER — The initial flood of cases of avian flu has slowed to a trickle as the spring migration of wild fowl concludes.
But the retreating wave of cases has left nearly two million birds at commercial farms and backyard flocks dead, culled or otherwise unable to be put into the marketplace.
Alberta has been the hardest hit in Canada following a small handful of farms being hit on the East Coast starting late last year and larger operations in southern Ontario by mid-March.
While Alberta accounts for half of all cases in the country, only a few commercial poultry farms and smaller backyard flocks have reported new cases in recent weeks. That’s in contrast to the two dozen Alberta farms that reported avian influenza cases between early April and mid-May.
Cases in the next hardest hit province, Ontario, have also slowed with that province reporting 474,000 cases since March.
In Western Canada, Manitoba has reported only a single commercial poultry operation with 15,000 birds impacted.
Saskatchewan and British Columbia both have 12 farms under quarantine due to avian influenza cases affecting 119,000 and 100,000 birds, respectively.
