FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contacts:
Dr. Samantha Uhrig, State Veterinarian, New Mexico Livestock Board
Samantha.Uhrig@nmlb.nm.gov
Office: 505-841-6161
Cell: 505-414-2811
Shelton Dodson
Director of Public Affairs, New Mexico Department of Agriculture
sdodson@nmda.nmsu.edu
Office: 575-646-2804
Cell: 575-339-5011
Nov. 20, 2023
USDA confirms highly pathogenic avian influenza in backyard flock in San Juan County
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a non-commercial backyard flock in San Juan County, New Mexico.
Samples from the flock have been tested by the New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s (NMDA) Veterinarian Diagnostic Services (VDS) Division in Albuquerque, as well as the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.
Thirteen of 14 chickens from the flock have died. State officials quarantined the affected premises.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the public health risk associated with these avian influenza detections in birds remains low. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of all poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165˚F is recommended as a general food safety precaution.
Anyone involved with poultry production – from the small backyard to the large commercial producer – should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds. APHIS has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists and a toolkit available on its Defend the Flock Resource Center website.
All cases in commercial and backyard flocks will be listed on the APHIS website.
In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds. New Mexico bird owners should immediately report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to the New Mexico State Veterinarian at 505-841-6161 or 505-414-2811, or call the USDA at 866-536-7593. The local USDA office may be reached at 505-313-8050.
The New Mexico Livestock Board website offers information about import permits for shipments coming to New Mexico originating in HPAI-impacted states.
APHIS urges producers to consider bringing birds indoors when possible to further prevent exposures. Additional information on biosecurity for backyard flocks can be found on the APHIS Avian Health website.
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