Warning issued for the health of poultry flocks

Clemson University animal health officials are urging owners of backyard poultry flocks and pet waterfowl to keep their birds away from wild waterfowl and the waters they inhabit.

The warning comes after backyard flocks in Horry and Orangeburg counties contracted the Eurasian strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), presumably from wild birds and waterways frequented by wild birds.

In both cases, the flocks suffered major die-offs, and the remaining infected poultry were depopulated to keep the devastating virus from spreading to other backyard flocks and jeopardizing the state’s $1.5 billion poultry industry.

The die-offs were self-reported by the flock owners. The birds were tested by the Clemson Veterinary Diagnostic Center, and then confirmed by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) National Veterinary Services Laboratories.

So far, the South Carolina commercial poultry industry has stayed clear of the deadly virus by practicing strict biosecurity protocols, but backyard growers haven’t been so lucky.

“It is imperative that all owners of backyard poultry and pet waterfowl keep their birds from mingling with wild waterfowl or accessing waters that could be frequented by wild waterfowl,” said State Veterinarian Michael Neault, who directs Clemson University Livestock-Poultry Health (LPH). “These precautions not only protect their birds from contracting the virus, but also help keep the poultry industry (big and small) safe.”

In 2023, 21 states including Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Virginia reported cases of Avian Influenza.

HPAI is considered low risk to human health according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, but is highly contagious to other birds, including backyard and commercial flocks of poultry. While the virus is also not considered a food safety threat, infected birds do not enter the food supply.