Avian Influenza found in a pig in the U.S.

Nov 04, 2024

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has its first case of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in a pig.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was in Iowa on Thursday when he shared details of the investigation in Oregon on reported cases of HPAI on a backyard farming operation with a mix of poultry and livestock, including swine.

“It’s not H5N1, it’s HPAI. It was a result of wild birds,” Vilsack said. “We tested the poultry, clearly, had the virus that led us to test the swine. This was a very small family farm operation with 70 birds, couple of pigs, couple of mini pigs running around out in the open and one of the swine had the virus. That’s the first time we’ve had to deal with this.”

None of the affected animals were intended for the commercial food supply, and the farm is under quarantine. Vilsack added birds at a commercial egg farm in Oregon were also infected as the wild bird migration season is underway.

“If they light and stay in a particular area for too long period of time, there’s the possibility of the virus spreading,” Vilsack said.

In Canada, the number of cases of highly pathogenic H5N1 on poultry farms in Western Canada is climbing as wild birds continue their southward migration.

For eight months there were no new cases in Canada. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed outbreaks on at least eight commercial poultry farms in B.C. and one in Saskatchewan in the last two weeks.

Video: A Farm Song (Busy) | Parody of A Bar Song (Tipsy) by Shaboozey

Lyrics:

My days begin with workin’, Alarm’s at 5 o’clock,
I Fill 5 gallon buckets, The feeders and the troughs,
This five to nine ain’t workin’, why the heck do I work so hard?,
I can’t worry ‘bout health problems, I can sleep in when I’m gone,

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

I’ve been working pretty stressed but,
I ain’t changing for some cash,
Lord knows that I’m very blessed (More chores),
But I gotta say it’s hard,
Workin’ outside gettin’ charred,
Living out here on the farm, (more chores)

One, here comes the two to the three to the four,
Tell em’ ‘buy another cow, we need plenty more’,
Blue jeans are gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history
There’s another 20 chickens that still need feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Everybody on the farm getting’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,

Fun, here on ranch that’s what you can’t ignore,
Might be pretty hard but I love it to its core,
Flannel’s gettin’ dirty, what else could I ask for,
Oh my, more chores (Tell ‘em sing with me)

Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
There’s another flock of sheep that still needs feed,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Someone pour me up another shot of sweet tea,
They know me and working hard’s got a history,
Watching cattle in the dark, don’t miss me,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
(Yeeeeeehaw)
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
Everybody on the farm gettin’ busy,
It’s the best bro, go get yourself a farm