Minnesota animal health officials have confirmed highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza at three more commercial poultry operations, adding about 118,000 birds to the state's fall total during the weeks when ducks and geese begin moving south.
The Minnesota Board of Animal Health confirmed the virus in a commercial meat bird flock of 55,701 in Big Stone County on Sept. 15. Two earlier detections, both confirmed Sept. 10, involved 44,352 meat turkeys in Becker County and a commercial breeding operation holding 18,000 birds in Otter Tail County, according to state figures reported in coverage of three more turkey operations hit by bird flu.
