In a recent outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), South Dakota has been hit once again, marking the first case in a U.S. commercial turkey flock since April.
This outbreak has affected more than 47,000 poultry on a Jerauld County commercial turkey flock Oct. 4, necessitating their culling.
This is the first case of bird flu in a U.S. commercial flock since April, when HPAI was confirmed on a Beadle County turkey farm with more than 75,000 birds.
South Dakota has seen multiple cases of HPAI this year, with over 123,000 birds depopulated due to the virus.
The current outbreak across the U.S. has affected 58.97 million birds, surpassing the 2014-2015 outbreak as the deadliest on record.
Even smaller commercial flocks are not spared, as evidenced by a commercial egg-laying operation in Flandreau, Dakota Layers, which had to cull 1.35 million hens.