Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Avian influenza found in turkeys near Woodstock

The Animal Health Laboratory at Guelph has confirmed an H5 strain of avian influenza is responsible for a spike in deaths at a turkey farm near Woodstock.

That farm and a neighbouring farm are under quarantine.

The infected flock will be euthanized.

The outbreak is likely to affect Canada’s trade, especially Hybrid Turkeys and Shaver Poultry Breeding which export breeding stock around the world from their farms near Kitchener and Cambridge.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has not yet revealed the details of the avian influenza strain at the farm. H5 is half of the identification and an N with a number is the second half.


The United States has been hit with about a dozen outbreaks, all under flyways for migrating ducks and geese. British Columbia has cleaned up farms that were hit before and after Christmas, but has yet to be totally cleared for resumption of trade.