Well, welcome back.
Over the weekend we received a text
question from viewer Cassandra and she
asked why do we have something called
ametron EXE and now the avian flu.
What is this happening?
We can't catch a break from
COVID-19 to bad weather.
Now this with the new variants and there
is the norovirus going around too.
Well, Cassandra,
we definitely understand your frustration
with all that going in depth on
all those things would take hours,
but we can take the next 15 minutes.
To dig into one of your concerns and
that would be the avian flu from its
impact on birds here in North Carolina.
To its role in the rise in
grocery store prices,
and even how it can impact your health,
we want to explain everything
you need to know about this.
So first and foremost,
what is the avian flu also
called bird flu and H5 N one?
It is a virus that naturally
occurs in wild birds.
The CDC says it can infect domestic poultry
and other birds and animal species.
The virus is very contagious among
birds and some strains of the virus can
even kill certain domesticated bird species.
the US Department of Agriculture says
North Carolina is one of 32 states with
at least one confirmed case of avian flu.
The State Department of Agriculture says
it has found nine outbreaks of bird flu
at commercial Turkey and chicken farms.
Now, three of those outbreaks were in
Johnston County, six of them in Wayne,
in total, over 481,000.
Birds were infected in those
flocks in North Carolina,
so we're talking about
poultry from infected flocks.
They are then euthanized.
That's what happens now because
of the threat of bird flu.
North Carolina has suspended all
poultry shows and public sales,
and that includes all exhibitions,
farm tours, shows, sales, flea markets,
auctions, swaps, and meats.
It's not only harder to buy chickens,
but you're also going to find yourself
paying more for poultry products Omar.
Villafranca is taking a closer look at
the bird flu's impact on egg prices.
Your morning breakfast price is
going up all the way from the eggs,
but to the bacon and the
toast and everything else.
Livestock economist David Anderson
says the worst avian flu outbreak
in seven years has killed more
than 20 million birds in 24 States
and has chipped away at the egg
supply and pushed prices up.
It takes time to adjust to higher
prices and higher costs.
You don't just snap your
fingers and get more production.
Jim Miller has more than 8000 hungry
mouths to feed every day at Cedar
Ridge Egg Farm in Northeast Texas.
The rising cost of the corn and wheat feed
is forcing Miller to raise his egg prices.
His feed bill for his growing
business is up nearly $7000 a month.
I don't Jack my price up.
I make a little bit.
I don't make a lot off my egg.
Last year the national average for
a dozen large white eggs was $1.60.
Now it's up to $2.50.
So what about a way to fight
the egg price increase?
Keeping poultry healthy?
Experts say it's important for
chicken owners at all levels to
help stop the spread of bird flu.
If you are thinking of doing it in a
small scale and just in the backyard,
make sure you're informed about OK.
What are the responsibilities and how
do we best do this to care for the
animals so that they can provide for you,
right? There's lots of people who have
chickens in the backyard, so here are
some signs of bird flu to lookout for.
This sudden die off of a
large number of the birds,
if they have respiratory problems.
Crusty eyes, discoloration of
their heads, swollen heads,
and that type of thing,
or just generally ill like that.
Well to protect its birds,
the Greensboro Science Center closed
their their bird exhibits to the public.
Since the virus is a natural
part of the bird population,
the center says it started taking
precautions at the beginning of the year.
We just really appreciate the guests
kind of being patient with us because
we do have a lot of our birds that are
inside or we've had to make modifications
to exhibits because we do have to be
really cautious about everything and
we've had to put a pause on a lot
of our encounters that we might do.
Right now no date has been set
for the exhibits to reopen.
The North Carolina Zoo's aviary
is also closed to the public.
Well, that exhibit closed in January after
the very first cases of avian flu in
wild bird populations were found this year.
Since that first case,
the US Department of Agriculture says
they've identified the avian flu in 143
wild birds across 11 different counties.
Infected species include
multiple kinds of ducks,
a Pelican, a red shouldered hawk,
and even several bald Eagles.
One of those bald Eagles was
found dead in Davidson County.
Now, because the avian flu is
transmitted from bird to bird,
and even by coming in contact
with contaminated surfaces,
experts are asking you just the everyday
person to put away backyard staples.
So we don't quite have the great
data about what is the risk of bird
feeders and anything we as humans can
do to stop potentially spreading it.
So by not bringing birds together
artificially because a bird feeders could
only help our avian friends right now.
Along with bird feeders,
experts also recommend putting away your
bird bats as way away for now as well.
Now, if you find a large number
of wild birds dead in one area,
or you keep a flock of birds and you
notice them acting differently or sick,
the State Department of Agriculture
wants you to report it here in the triad.
You can call the Elkin branch
of the NC Veterinary Diagnostic
laboratory system and so we have
that number for you on your screen.
You might want to just like grab your phone,
take a screenshot of this phone number.
Right now,
it's one of the easiest ways to do it.
If you miss it, of course.
Will be able to give it to you online.