Lasers, Drones, and More: Poultry Farmers Fight Avian Flu with Innovation
The highly pathogenic avian flu, a deadly virus that has been devastating poultry flocks across the country, is putting pressure on farmers to find innovative ways to protect their birds. Some farmers are turning to drones, air horns, balloons, and decoy predators to keep wild birds away from their flocks. Others are using lasers to create a "virtual fence" around their barns, deterring birds from entering.
One farmer, Loren Brey, installed a laser system atop his barn in Minnesota after losing nearly half of his flock to avian flu. The lasers emit a green beam of light that creates a virtual fence around the barn, deterring wild ducks, owls, and other birds from entering. Brey says the system has been effective in keeping wild birds away from his flock, and he has not lost any birds to avian flu since installing the system.
Drones are becoming increasingly popular as a way to monitor poultry flocks and deter wild birds. Drones can be equipped with cameras to monitor the flock for signs of disease and can also be used to disperse wild birds. Air horns and balloons are also being used to scare away wild birds.
The use of innovative tactics to fight avian flu is a sign of the growing concern among poultry farmers about the virus. The virus has had a devastating impact on the poultry industry, and farmers are looking for any way to protect their flocks.
The Most Affected Farms
The most affected farms by avian flu are large-scale industrial farms and those raising egg-producing chickens. Two-thirds of the depopulated birds belong to just 30 farms with one million or more egg-laying hens. Turkey operations have also been hit hard, representing 350 of the 481 commercial farms with detected cases.
| Farm Type | Number of Depopulated Birds |
|---|---|
| Egg-laying hens | 60 million |
| Turkeys | 30 million |
| Other poultry | 10 million |
The Consequences of an Infection
An infection with avian flu can have vast consequences for a poultry farm. Under federal policy, one infected bird can necessitate the culling or elimination of an entire flock, and then disposing of the carcasses through composting, burial, incineration, or rendering. The regulation has resulted in 90 million dead birds and more than 1,100 affected flocks across the country since February 2022, when the strain, the most lethal yet in the United States, was first detected.
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