Avian flu outbreak leads to quarantine of seven poultry farms in southwestern Ontario

Jan 08, 2025

Seven poultry farms in southwestern Ontario are currently under quarantine due to an avian flu outbreak.

The premises under quarantine include four in Oxford County, two in Strathroy and one in North Middlesex, which are all located near London.

Brian Stevens a pathologist at the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, which monitors disease in wildlife, believes the virus behind this outbreak could have been brought into the area from water fowl like mallards or ducks.

Outbreaks of avian flu have been popping up in North America since it was detected in Canada in 2021, Stevens told the Star, and according to Environment and Climate Change Canada, it has since been detected in every province and territory.

“It’s just been circulating in the wild bird population and it’s just been moving where the birds move,” said Stevens.

As of Dec. 27, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) estimated more than 1 million birds had been impacted by avian flu in Ontario, and more than 15 million nationally.

How does avian flu spread?
There are two types of avian influenza, highly pathogenic avian flu and low pathogenic avian flu. The highly pathogenic type is behind the current outbreaks and it will often “make (birds) very sick and kill them,” Stevens explained.

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Video: You Be The Judge: Evaluating 8 Breeding Rams!

It's time for some honest feedback here at Ewetopia Farms! Today, we’re showing you all eight rams we used for breeding this year. Instead of just presenting them, we thought it would be fun to create a “Ram Report Card” — where we point out both their strengths and areas for improvement.

But here’s the twist: you be the judge! In the comments, let us know what you like about each ram and what you think could be improved. No ram is ever perfect, but every one of them brings something valuable to the flock. By sharing perspectives, we all learn more about what to look for in good breeding stock.

At Ewetopia Farms, we raise registered Suffolk and Polled Dorset sheep, focusing on high-quality genetics, structure, and friendly temperaments. Evaluating breeding rams is part of the bigger picture of building stronger flocks — and we’re excited to share the process with you.

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