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Viral Diseases

What is this flu doing to egg production and sales now?

The recent surge in avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, has significantly disrupted egg production and sales across the globe. This article delves into the current impact of the flu on the egg industry, examining the challenges faced by producers and consumers alike. Understanding the Current Flu Outbreak The ongoing outbreak is primarily attributed to the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strain H5N1. Since its detection in 2020, this strain has spread extensively among wild birds and poultry, leading to widespread culling to contain the virus. As of February 2025, over 157 million poultry have been affected in the United States alone, spanning 51 jurisdictions. cdc.gov Impact on Egg Production The flu's repercussions on egg production are profound: Mass Culling: To prevent the virus's spread, infected and at-risk flocks are culled, drastically reducing the number of laying hens. Supply Chain Disruptions: The sudden decrease in egg-laying hens leads to immediate shortages in the supply chain. Farm Closures: Infected farms often face temporary shutdowns for decontamination, further halting production. These factors culminate in a diminished egg supply, unable to meet consumer demand. Consequences for Egg Prices and Sales The reduced supply has led to notable economic impacts: Price Inflation: Egg prices have surged dramatically. In December 2024, the average price for a dozen Grade A large eggs reached $4.15, up from $2.52 in January 2024—a nearly 65% increase. time.com Consumer Behavior: Shoppers face empty shelves and purchase limits in various grocery chains, including Trader Joe’s, Costco, and Sprouts. Some retailers have implemented surcharges to manage demand. time.com Global Ripple Effects: The crisis isn't confined to the U.S. Australia, for instance, continues to experience prolonged egg shortages, with supermarkets enforcing purchase limits months after initial outbreaks. businessinsider.com Industry and Government Responses To mitigate the crisis, various measures have been implemented: Biosecurity Enhancements: Farmers are adopting stringent biosecurity protocols to prevent virus introduction and spread. Market Interventions: Authorities have temporarily closed live poultry markets in high-risk areas, such as New York City, to curb transmission. apnews.com Monitoring and Surveillance: Innovative methods, like wastewater testing on farms, are being explored to detect early signs of the virus and prevent outbreaks. time.com Long-Term Implications for the Egg Market The path to recovery remains uncertain: Extended Shortages: Experts predict that egg prices will remain elevated, with some estimates suggesting a potential 20% increase by the end of 2025. nypost.com Production Challenges: Rebuilding flocks is a time-consuming process, often taking several months before new hens begin laying eggs. Global Concerns: The virus's spread [...]

By |2025-05-08T04:18:34+00:00February 12th, 2025|Avian Flu, Poultry, Viral Diseases|0 Comments
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Pig and Hog Vaccination

Pigs and any member of the swine family need a lot of care. If you're a a pig owner, you have to be sensitive to their needs. It's not enough to have them wallow in the mud and feed when needed. While they may seem healthy at a glance, swines are susceptible to diseases too, which is why their bodies have to be prepared for any bacteria and viruses that could hit them. When this happens, one must be swift in applying treatment. There's a variety of products available for each type of illness. Yet prevention is always better than cure. Luckily, vaccination is a great way to keep your swine away from diseases. Common ones include foot and mouth disease, Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea and African Swine Fever. With vaccination, there's huge chance of lesser economic and emotional loss when there are swine epidemics. Why Vaccination helps? Vaccination boosts a pig's immune system. It works by releasing antigens into the body to stimulate the immune system and help develop immunity to bacteria, microorganisms, parasites and viruses. Antigens are the protein component of infectious agents. When released to the host, the host's body becomes immunized. At this state, the body is induced to release antibodies which fight pathogens. In simple terms, the substance contained in vaccines helps your pig resist illness caused by harmful microorganisms. It reduces risk of catching and spreading a disease. Vaccination is an effective intervention done to prevent spread or decrease a pig's susceptibility to harmful viruses. Injection is considered as the most effective and widely used method of vaccine administration. The administration of the vaccine can be done before, during or after a disease strikes. In some cases, vaccination is more effective when done days before a potential threat arrives. For instance, gilts and sows have to undergo 2 vaccine shots before breeding and another at 3-4 weeks before birthing to prevent stillbirths caused by Leptospira bacteria. Factors like age, size and date of last vaccination affect this, so clearly discuss it with the experts. The injection site and dose have to be determined as well. There are 5 injection sites for pigs: Subcutaneous (under skin), Intramuscular (muscle), Intranasal, Intraperitoneal (abdominal cavity) and Intravenous (vein). Upon veterinary advice, the spots could be the most effective venues for the shots, depending on vaccine type and adjuvants. Vaccine Types Generally, there are two types of vaccines. One, there's the active vaccine and the inactive type. The active vaccine contains live pathogens, weakened, so that they [...]

By |2019-03-15T16:44:34+00:00August 2nd, 2015|Pigs, Animals, Vaccinations, Viral Diseases|0 Comments
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Top Pig Diseases Caused By Viruses

There are many viral diseases that can hit pigs. The severity of their effect varies from country to country, from farm to farm. However, knowing what each disease looks like when it affects your pigs may help you contain them to reduce the losses that it would have caused. Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) Foot-and-mouth disease would show in how pigs suddenly reduce their food consumption and how they would look depressed. It also comes with fevers reaching about 40.5º C. Piglets affected by the condition usually experience cardiac failure and die. Vesicles of up to 30mm would appear later, and are often found near the coronets and appear a little on the lips and nose. The disease can be transmitted through direct and indirect contact with infected pigs. The virus can spread by saliva, aerosol, blood, nasal discharge, feces, urine, semen, meat or bones of the infected animals, and infected animal by-products. FMD cannot be treated, so the affected pigs should be destroyed. This can be prevented by routine vaccination, although this will only last for six months. Farmers should be cautious of the symptoms to prevent the spread before it gets worse. FMD is highly infectious and can spread rapidly throughout the population of animals, even reaching long distances, depending on the wind. This makes it harder and more costly to control. African Swine Fever This often affects domestic pigs. Its common symptoms include blotching of skin, fever, and the hemorrhaging of internal organs, lymph nodes, and gastrointestinal tract. The virus can spread through direct contact with the infected pigs and fomites, tick bites, ingestion of contaminated uncooked pig by-products, and contact with wild carrier and domestic pigs. The carcass of the affected animals is condemned. All of the herd hit by ASF would become ill and most of them would die. There is no treatment available, which is why some countries infected by the ASF often resort to a slaughter policy to completely eradicate the virus and contain its spread. Affected animals should be kept away from the unexposed animals as a preventive measure. Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea (PED) This is a highly contagious viral disease among pigs, which has recently affected virus states in the US. It was first diagnosed in the country in May 2013. This causes severe diarrhea and dehydration among pigs. of animals, even reaching long distances, depending on the wind. This makes it harder and more costly to control. African Swine Fever This often affects domestic pigs. Its common symptoms include blotching [...]

By |2019-03-24T21:18:49+00:00May 31st, 2014|Pigs, Viral Diseases|0 Comments
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