FOOD PRICES ON THE RISE AS A HUGE OUTBREAK OF AVIAN FLU INFECTS POULTRY AND CATTLE.

 By Sobukola Ayomikun

A huge outbreak of avian flu has affected poultry and cattle. A highly dangerous type of avian flu has swept across flocks of major egg producers across the United States. Not only are poultry infected, but dairy cows have also tested positive, and one human in Texas is thought to have contracted the virus while interacting with susceptible cattle.

As the Type A H5N1 influenza virus spreads, major egg producers have been compelled to slaughter millions of chickens in an effort to control the outbreak.

It's a financial loss for growers and could soon become a burden on families' grocery expenses.

"We would expect to see some increase in prices because you're rapidly pulling a large number of potential eggs out of the market for the next 30 to 60 days," said Amy Hagerman, a professor of economics

Under normal conditions, egg prices would typically fall after the Easter vacation, when demand is high. She does not expect that to be the case this year.

Furthermore, egg prices have not entirely recovered from the ups and downs of the previous two years. In 2022, when avian flu killed 10% of the country's laying hens, prices surged.

According to federal data, the current average price for a dozen eggs is around $2.99. That's higher than six months ago, when a carton normally cost around $2, but significantly lower than January 2023, when a dozen eggs cost $4.82 on average.

While egg costs rise as avian influenza outbreaks spread, the situation is different for dairy products.

Dairy farmers in Texas got concerned three weeks ago when cattle began becoming ill with what officials described as "mystery dairy cow disease," according to Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. Milk production plummeted, and the cows were lethargic and ate little.

"We hadn't seen anything like it before," he added. "It was kind of like they had a cold."

According to Hagerman, the virus appears to be less dangerous and contagious in cattle than in poultry. "If this virus enters a poultry block, all animals become sick in a very short amount of time. And we just haven't seen it yet, or it hasn't been reported by cattle farmers or vets."

This means fewer dairy cattle deaths and fewer delays to production for the dairy business.

Poultry prices are also not being affected at this time. While millions of egg-laying hens have been depopulated, commercial grill operations (chickens grown for meat) have not been significantly impacted. Several turkey flocks have been affected.

And, while eggs may become more expensive in the coming months, they will remain as safe to consume as before. Pasteurisation of eggs and milk eliminates the virus.