Protect Your Farm From The Financial & Health Risks of Avian Flu

While avian flu continues to spread amongst livestock in the US, there are immediate actions you can take to protect your business from the financial and health risks of an avian flu outbreak.

The 2024 avian influenza outbreak continues to pose a threat to US businesses, affecting nearly 13 million birds in the last 30 days (USDA data). While not currently a threat to human safety, consumers are nevertheless feeling the impact of avian flu via their pockets, with egg prices reaching north of $7 in certain parts of the country.

Avian flu, or H5N1, is classified as a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), meaning it has a high mortality rate. In chickens, it is nearly 100%. Farmers across the country are suffering as they try to protect their flocks without losing profit. Some farms, with illness detected in just a small number of birds, have been forced to cull entire flocks in an effort to contain the spread of the disease.

How does Avian Flu Spread?

Avian flu can spread through direct or indirect contact, and it often does so quickly within close confinement environments. Avian flu can spread from pecking, feather rubbing, or coming in direct contact with contaminated feces or saliva secretions, but it is also transmissible indirectly through aerosolized virus particles or coming in indirect contact with the virus on surfaces.

Migratory wild birds, particularly waterfowl like geese, can carry and spread avian influenza over long distances. These birds often carry the virus without showing symptoms, and they can contaminate bodies of water or land where domestic livestock (like chickens, turkey or cattle) come into contact with the virus.

What Can You Do To Protect Your Farms From Avian Flu?

One of the most effective ways to prevent an outbreak of avian flu is to ensure that migratory and wild birds do not linger on your property and spread the disease through contaminated feed, water, and land. To control nuisance birds on your property, one solution Wild Goose Chase offers is automated bird lasers. An automated bird laser is an effective tool that protects domesticated flocks (and dairies) from wild birds by creating a virtual perimeter buffer area or line of separation covered by the laser. Automated lasers enable directed harassment in nuisance bird problem areas but are humane and do not interfere with the environment or normal property uses.

How and Why Do Lasers Work on Birds?

Birds perceive the beam of a laser as a physical threat – though it poses no actual harm. When approached by the laser beam, individual birds and flocks are startled into flight. Automated bird lasers, like the AVIX Mark II, are specifically designed for birds based upon their biology and are highly effective at deterring nuisance birds because:

• Birds can see the entire laser beam, even in full daylight conditions
• Birds are visually attuned to motion
• Birds are adept at recognizing consistent patterns

Through our specialized understanding of bird-biology, Wild Goose Chase can program the lasers to ensure that they’re spaced out to cover the appropriate amount of impacted acreage and move in a pattern that does not become adaptable to different species. Through preventative measures, Wild Goose Chase can help your business mitigate the risks of an avian flu outbreak and the consequent costs that might follow.

Protect Your Flock or Herd from Bird Flu with Migratory Bird Management

The current bird flu outbreak has wreaked havoc on poultry and livestock farms – but biology-based solutions can help prevent further damage. Since the 2015 bird flu outbreak, the Wild Goose Chase team has helped hundreds of egg producers, dairies and other farmers protect their poultry and livestock from disease-carrying wild birds with enhanced biosecurity measures.

For more information about automated lasers and other nuisance bird deterrence solutions, or to schedule a site evaluation, contact us below.