According to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service poultry expert, it will take several years for egg-laying facilities in the Midwest to recover from the recent avian influenza outbreak.
Even though Texas poultry farmers have not yet been impacted by the outbreak, consumers should expect an increase in egg prices until new flocks are raised.
Dr. Craig Coufal, AgriLife Extension poultry specialist, said tens of millions of laying hens have been lost in leading U.S. egg-producing states.
He said getting new flocks raised to where production can begin again will take years, similar to beef herd rebuilding after a drought.
Facilities must dispose of millions of dead birds and completely sanitize the houses before flock rebuilding can begin. It will be months before they can bring in the first laying flocks, Coufal said.
Read more from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.