2024 has brought no relief to egg production with HPAI infections continuing to skyrocket, and the threat level has compounded since March following a single spillover event of HPAI into dairy cattle. The virus spread to over 707 dairy herds in 15 states this year. California alone has had 493 positive dairies reported in the past few months.

This resulting spillover and spread in dairy cattle has resulted in significant losses to the layer industry. From December 2023 to January 2024, 16 layer farms were affected with the migrating waterfowl strain of the virus. After a short break in migration detections between February and March, April 1 spurred the newly introduced dairy strain identified as B3.13, which has continued to aggressively impact egg, broiler and turkey farms.

Since April 2024, 17 layer and pullet flocks involving more than 24 million birds have had HPAI detections. Virus sequencing by USDA shows that at least 14 of those detections, totaling 22 million birds, are linked to the dairy B3.13 strain of the virus. The remaining three flocks and 2 million birds are related to a wild bird D1.1 strain that is a reassortment of the original 2.3.3.4 strain from 2022.

Looking back further, since February of 2022 there have been:

• 1,255 total HPAI detections
• 533 commercial premises and 702 backyard flocks affected
• 112 million commercial and backyard birds lost

The total layer detections in this outbreak reached 72 layer premises, affecting just under 86 million egg-laying hens and pullets.

Fall migration continues to ramp up through December, and producers should assume that birds flying over farms are positive, and that HPAI is present around all farms, especially given the rapid increase in dairy detection in the Western US. Precautions must be taken to keep the virus outside the line of separation (LOS) and out of barns.

While migration has been delayed due to warmer than average temperatures, like last year, colder weather moving in has spurred more active migration patterns and brought with it new cases. It is anticipated that HPAI detections from wild birds could continue through January in some parts of the country along with the continued threat of detections from the dairy B3.13 strain in states with positive dairies and/or limited testing of dairy cattle.

USDA’s mandatory dairy sampling program is scheduled to begin this week. The program will give states flexibility on how and where they sample to be the most efficient with resources. Several states have already started extensive sampling, and many others are ramping up to fast-track the program. Lab capacity for testing and lab employee fatigue are beginning to be a concern in states experiencing significant sample loads.

UEP continues to work closely with USDA, state animal health officials, and affected producers. As the government prepares for the transition of power coming in early January, UEP staff and consultants remain engaged and requesting that government leaders identify and implement for new measures that may help control this outbreak.

In early February 2025, UEP’s Government Relations Strike Team of key egg producers across the country will meet in DC with regulatory agencies and congressional members to provide the egg farmers’ perspective of the devastation of the ongoing outbreak and advocate for key changes and research needs.

Now is the time for producers to re-educate farm employees on all biosecurity practices, including hunting precautions. APHIS strongly recommends hunters wear gloves to minimize direct contact with wild birds, wash after cleaning game, and change clothing before any contact with domestic poultry. Anyone engaging in waterfowl hunting or exposure to waterfowl should not be around commercial poultry for at least 72 hours and take the proper precautions, including cleaning vehicles and footwear. UEP’s Animal Health and Biosecurity Committee formed a HPAI Task Force in early 2023 and produced the UEP Biosecurity Task Force Resources for egg producers to help develop, strengthen, and reinforce biosecurity programs.

The virus is still present in the environment across the U.S., and biosecurity remains the only defense from these highly aggressive and virulent strains.