MADISON, Wis. — Agriculture officials say cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza at a commercial poultry facility in Jefferson County and a backyard flock in Rock County likely came from contact with wild birds.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday afternoon, officials from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) said they looked at bird movements and used information from the flocks’ owners to identify a source for the bird flu cases. Based on that data and epidemiology, DATCP state veterinarian Dr. Darlene Konkle said both cases appear to be independent and came from wild birds coming in contact with the flocks.
“In each case, we think these two are independent and we think each of them is (an) introduction from a wild bird contact of some sort,” she said.
DATCP first confirmed the positive bird flu case at the Jefferson County facility — which officials confirmed on Wednesday was the Cold Spring Egg Farm — on March 14. The birds at the facility were killed to avoid spreading the virus; depopulation efforts wrapped up late last month.
On March 31, the Department of Natural Resources confirmed the EA H5 avian influenza had been found in wild birds after samples were taken from half a dozen birds in various parts of the state, including Dane, Columbia and Grant counties.
RELATED: Avian influenza found in wild birds in Wisconsin, DNR says
Days later, DATCP announced the positive case at the backyard flock in Rock County.
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