The avian influenza outbreak continues to grow and leads to more questions about the impact on livestock and meat markets, according to Drovers CattleNetwork.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reports the current toll of the avian flu outbreaks is nearly 34 million birds depopulated. The majority of these are laying hens, followed by turkeys. There are relatively few broilers affected at this time.
As a result, the biggest and most immediate impact for consumers is in egg markets, especially in the north central part of the country. The reduced supply of table eggs, as well as breaking eggs used in food service, will impact consumers.
The direct impact of avian flu on poultry meat supply is minimal and likely to remain that way. Both broiler and turkey production are still expected to surpass year ago totals unless the outbreak expands significantly.
The biggest impact of avian flu on meat markets is the closure of poultry export markets. Both broiler and turkey exports, already struggling in 2015, are forecast to decrease even more as a result of the outbreak.