The United States Department of Agriculture has confirmed through it’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service the presence of Avian Flu in a flock of commercially raised turkeys. Doctor Dustin Oedevoken with the South Dakota Animal Industry Board says a flock of 53-thousand grower turkeys exhibited signs of the H-5 N2 virus, commonly known as the Bird Flu…
Oedevoken says officials believe the virus got to Beadle County by way of the Central Flyway….
Dakota Provisions President and C-E-O Ken Rutledge says the affected birds did not make it to their turkey processing plant…
Dakota Provisions processes approximately five-million turkeys per year and Rutledge says the production impact will be minimal. Rutledge says their bio-security measures are being reinforced…
The infected birds came from the Riverside Farm, a Hutterite colony north of Huron. Due the nature of the possible infections through migratory birds, Oedevoken says the Animal Industry Board will keep close watch other commercial turkey operations in adjacent counties for possible spreading of the virus.