Barron County bird flu outbreak leads to killing of 46,000 poultry
Apr. 12—BARRON — The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection reports that the commercial poultry flock where bird flu was discovered over the weekend in Barron County has been depopulated.
The process involved killing 46,507 birds, the agency indicated.
On Sunday, Hormel Foods Corp., which operates major turkey production facilities in Barron County, confirmed that the disease had affected its Jennie-O Turkey Store operations in Wisconsin for the first time.
After consulting with federal partners and experts from across the country, DATCP has determined the most effective method for controlling the avian influenza virus is to euthanize infected flocks quickly and to follow disposal protocols that meet high standards for disease management, public health and environmental responsibility.
More than 23 million poultry have been killed in the past two months nationwide because of the bird flu outbreak. That total includes more than 2.8 million at two commercial and two noncommercial sites in Wisconsin.
