Bird flu suspected in Alabama
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Poultry at three possible sites in Alabama are being investigated over suspected bird flu concerns.
Aviagen, a large poultry breeding company, said on Tuesday that it euthanized chickens over disease concerns, according to Reuters.
Officials in the state ordered a “stop movement order for certain poultry.”
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“With three investigations of avian influenza in north Alabama on three separate premises we feel that the stop movement order is the most effective way to implement biosecurity for all poultry in our state,” Dr. Tony Frazier, a state veterinarian, said in a statement.
Antibodies for bird flu were detected by Aviagen, but a spokeswoman for the company told Reuters that the flock reported “no evidence of clinical disease.”
The spokeswoman also told Reuters that the flock and “all eggs which were collected from that farm in the production system were traced and removed."
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Nearly $15 billion is made annually by the poultry and egg industry in Alabama.
“Our staff is committed to staying actively involved in the avian influenza situation until any threats are addressed,” Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan said in a statement.
While officials reported that the suspected strain of the disease doesn’t pose any food supply risk, McMillian said they have “worked hard to maintain a level of readiness.”
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Alabama is the second largest poultry producer in the country.
Alyssa Madruga is a news editor for FoxNews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AlyssaMadruga.