Indiana officials say bird flu has been detected at an Elkhart County duck farm, marking the disease’s spread to a third poultry species.
The Indiana State Board of Animal Health announced late last week that laboratory testing of a commercial duck flock in Elkhart County has come back as presumptively positive for avian flu.
The agency says the duck flock has at least 4,500 birds. In response to the outbreak, it will be conducting surveillance testing of nearby poultry farms, backyard flocks and wild birds to monitor potential spread of the disease.
The agency is in the process of reaching out to commercial farms, but hobby poultry owners in Elkhart County can call 317-544-2387 to schedule free testing of their flocks.
Bird flu was detected earlier this year at six turkey farms in southern Indiana’s Dubois and Greene counties.
Contact Jakob at jlazzaro@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @JakobLazzaro.
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