Arkansas: Tyson hen flock shows H7N3 AI antibodies
Springdale (aho) – Tyson Foods Inc., the second largest U.S. chicken producer, on Tuesday said that a flock of breeder hens (15,000 animals) at the farm of one of its contract poultry producers in northwest Arkansas has been exposed to a low pathogenic strain of avian influenza (AI). Preliminary tests on the flock indicate the presence of antibodies for H7N3 avian influenza, however, there is no indication the birds currently have the virus. The discovery came as part of routine, pre-slaughter surveillance conducted by the company. The chickens involved show no signs of illness. The strain involved is low pathogenic H7N3. It is not the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus that has previously affected birds in Asia, Europe and Africa, Tyson said.