Brazilian officials and poultry farmers are implementing stricter sanitary measures in response to the country’s first confirmed case of highly pathogenic avian influenza on a commercial farm. The focus is on tracing the virus and preventing its further spread.
The discovery of the outbreak in Montenegro, Rio Grande do Sul state, has led to trade restrictions on Brazilian chicken from key markets, including China, the European Union, Mexico, and Argentina. Brazil is the world’s leading exporter of chicken.
Authorities at both state and federal levels are working to contain the outbreak. The government of Minas Gerais state reported the destruction of 450 metric tons of eggs originating from Rio Grande do Sul. The eggs were traced to locations in Minas Gerais, Parana, and Rio Grande do Sul and are being destroyed as a precautionary measure. Approximately 1.7 million eggs have been destroyed in Rio Grande do Sul alone.
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Chicken farmers like Celso Zweibricker in Montenegro are increasing biosecurity measures, including restricting access to visitors and enforcing strict sanitation protocols for deliveries.
The 2022 outbreak of highly infectious bird flu has had a devastating impact on poultry production in the United States, resulting in the culling of millions of birds and spreading to dairy farms.
Vibra Foods, a Brazilian operation backed by Tyson Foods, which operates the affected farm, has been incinerating and burying waste to prevent the virus from spreading. The virus killed approximately 15,000 birds on the farm, and an additional 2,000 were culled.
A task force comprising officials from Brazil’s agriculture ministry and Rio Grande do Sul’s department of agriculture has been established in Montenegro. The task force is visiting properties within a 10-kilometer radius of the affected farm.
Disinfection barriers are being set up near the farm to sanitize passing vehicles. A sample from a duck on a non-commercial farm suspected of having bird flu has been collected for testing.
Authorities aim to eliminate the outbreak and restore the country’s previous disease-free status as quickly as possible.
