Canadian poultry farmers fearful of avian flu strain

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Canadian poultry farmers are facing fear and stress as a highly pathogenic strain of H5N1 avian influenza is currently circulating in both wild and domestic flocks across North America. According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency poultry and egg producers in Canada have lost more than 1.7 million birds to avian influenza since late 2021. That tally includes both birds that have died of the virus and birds that have been euthanized. Alberta chicken farmer David Hyink checks his barns each day with a sense of trepidation. He knows if the disease were to turn up on his property, it would mean the loss of his entire flock.