Ohio has been the hardest hit by the national outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu. The devastating infection, which often leads farmers to euthanizing whole flocks, has been detected in 10 Ohio counties in recent months.
More than 6 million birds have contracted the virus in recent months, according to reporting by the Statehouse News Bureau.
Veterinarian and OSU extension assistant professor Timothy McDermott has been helping small backyard flocks guard themselves against the highly contagious virus.
“There is a bunch of research being done right now on different strategies that can be used to address this outbreak,” McDermott said.
How does the virus spread?
The highly contagious infection is spread from bird to bird through secretions like saliva, mucus and feces. When a bird contracts the virus, it spreads quickly. In order to prevent infection, poultry farmers are encouraged to depopulate, or kill, entire flocks.
The virus has been suspected in both commercial flocks and wild waterfowl across the state. Last month, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources reported that Canada geese, trumpeter swans and a mallard had likely died due to the virus.
More than 3.7 million commercial chickens and 86,000 commercial turkeys tested positive in Darke and Mercer counties this year, leading to the culling of millions of egg-laying hens.
The virus can spread to all types of birds, but they aren’t the only species at risk. Last year, herds of dairy cows in northwest Ohio contracted the virus.
How is Ohio curbing the spread of bird flu?
McDermott said the best way to slow the spread is through biosecurity: ensuring commercial and backyard flocks don’t come into contact with waterfowl or other migratory birds.
He recommends Ohio farmers put fine, mesh netting around their coops to ensure that no animals are able to interact with a flock. He also said poultry producers need to limit their birds’ access to bodies of water, where risk of transmission is high.
“A lot of the virus can be shed by migratory waterfowl that would be attracted to the water on the farm, and that would be a highly risky environment for your backyard flock,” McDermott said.
Plus, McDermott said it’s important that farmers take precautions to safeguard themselves from the virus. Although avian flu is rarely passed to humans, he urges farmers to wear personal protection equipment when handling flocks.
“I don't think there's any spread from person to person,” McDermott said. “I think they pick that up from animals that had the disease.”
How are egg prices impacted?
Ohio is the second-largest egg producer in the state, second only to Iowa.
With many commercial flocks impacted, there are less egg-laying hens to meet demand for eggs. It’s contributed to higher prices at the grocery store.
Wholesale egg prices in the Midwest rose to record highs this month, according to commodity data firm Expana. They’ve seen the highest cost increase year over year of any food product. Egg prices jumped 36% from December 2023 to December 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index.
A carton of large eggs averaged $4.16 in the Midwest last month.
“I know that the Ohio poultry industry is doing everything they can to try to get the control underway so that we can bring the prices down to where we were seeing them before the outbreak,” McDermott said.
