SEYMOUR — The second-largest egg producer in the United States has reported cases of bird flu at their headquarters facility in Seymour, Indiana.
Rose Acre Farms started noticing mortality at its Cort Acre Egg Farm on Saturday, January 25, and sent samples off to be tested as quickly as possible, officials said.
The samples were positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), also commonly known as AI or bird flu.
“As soon as we noticed the mortality, we immediately implemented further biosecurity steps to our already established, stringent biosecurity protocol,” Rose Acre Farms said in a statement.
Rose Acre Farms says they are working with the Indiana State Board of Animal Health on the best way to combat the spread of bird flu to other birds.
The USDA is monitoring animal infections, and the CDC is monitoring human infections.
“It is important to note that while the risk to other birds (including migratory waterfowl, backyard poultry, and commercial poultry) from highly pathogenic avian influenza infections is high, the risk to people remains low,” Rose Acre Farms said.
Bird flu spreads through direct bird-to-bird contact or by contaminated surfaces or materials, such as manure, egg crates, farming equipment, and people’s clothing, shoes, or hands.
The USDA says there is no treatment for the bird flu. The only way to stop the disease is by killing all infected or potentially infected birds.
Symptoms of bird flu in poultry include the following:
- Sudden death without any prior symptoms of illness
- Lack of energy and appetite
- A drop in egg production or soft-shelled, misshapen eggs
- Swelling of the eyelids, comb, wattles, and shanks
- Purple discoloration of the wattles, comb, and legs
- Gasping for air (difficulty breathing)
- Nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing
- Twisting of the head and neck (torticollis)
- Stumbling or falling down
- Diarrhea
According to USDA data, there have been four commercial flocks, no backyard flocks and a total of 418,500 bids affected in the state of Indiana in the last 30 days.
The CDC says that as of January 6, 2025, there have been 66 confirmed human cases of bird flu in the United States since 2024 and 67 confirmed cases since 2022.
For more information on bird flu, click here.
