{"id":27209,"date":"2022-11-29t08:11:35","date_gmt":"2022-11-29t08:11:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev.planetforward.com\/2022\/11\/29\/whats-cracking-bird-flu-and-its-strain-on-egg-production\/"},"modified":"2023-02-24t21:24:22","modified_gmt":"2023-02-24t21:24:22","slug":"bird-flu-egg-production","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.getitdoneaz.com\/story\/bird-flu-egg-production\/","title":{"rendered":"what\u2019s cracking? bird flu and its strain on egg production"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
have you noticed the rising prices of food items this year? a trip to the grocery store has recently become much more expensive. family favorites, necessities, and satisfying snacks burden our debit cards and threaten our budgets. inflation is burgeoning, and the price of many staple food items are expanding, yet the quality and quantity are not reflected (nor are stagnant wages considered) in the price changes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
let us take eggs, for instance. eggs go in everything. they are a foundational item that is used to bind things together. they can be scrambled, flipped, fried, deviled, and so much more. the best thing about eggs was that they are \u2014 well, were \u2014 dirt cheap. in early 2022 a dozen eggs cost around $2 on average<\/a>. now, eggs are running closer to $4 a dozen for conventional eggs<\/a>, and it is putting a damper on the typical grocery tab. <\/p>\n\n\n\n as a college student, i have a part-time job to sustain myself. i have been employed by walmart for three years, so i have noticed these trends concerning the price of eggs. as an online grocery pickup associate, i shop for customers who typically include eggs on their grocery lists. some people purchase organic eggs, while others buy the store brand, but no matter what type of egg is chosen, i noticed they’ve become awfully expensive for such a staple grocery item. this sudden price change intrigued me, so i decided to find the underlying cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n the economic research service of the u.s. department of agriculture highlights this surge in egg prices<\/a> in their updated food consumer price index. although many factors may impact egg prices, researchers and reporters alike have found that bird flu<\/a> is one of the main culprits of egg inflation. bird flu refers to an illness in birds caused by infection with avian influenza type a viruses. according to the centers for disease control and prevention (cdc), domesticated birds (chickens, turkeys, ducks, etc.) may become infected with avian influenza a viruses through direct contact<\/a> with infected waterfowl or other infected poultry, or through contact with surfaces that have been contaminated with viruses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n during this research journey, i interviewed alexis smith, a graduating senior of tuskegee university\u2019s animal science program. smith is highly interested in poultry and holds an executive position in tuskegee\u2019s pre-vet club. smith explained that there are two types of bird flu, low pathogenic and high pathogenic. low pathogenic avian influenza can cause no sign of disease and if it does, it is mild. however, with mild symptoms, there will still be a decrease in egg production and the virus can still mutate into the highly pathogenic type. whereas the high pathogenic type causes severe disease and has a 90% to 100% mortality rate<\/a>. this form of the disease can affect multiple organ systems, respiratory, digestive, etc., all within 48 hours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n one of the worst repercussions of the spread of this disease is the effect on agricultural trade. when bird flu is rampant on a farm among poultry, it affects the number of chickens that produce eggs in addition to the number of eggs that pass inspection. the lack of egg production and egg contamination is hindering the amount that farmers can supply, which is why prices are rising steadily. though fewer eggs are being produced, the demand has not weakened, which explains why the increased prices have remained and not dropped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n research continues, but there is still no cure<\/a> for bird flu in birds. bird flu is still rampant and it is continuing to diminish the egg supply, which is causing the price of eggs to inflate. <\/p>\n\n\n\nbird health meets economics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
egg alternatives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n